Born Jean Elizabeth Smart, Jean Smart is an American actress who has starred in a number of successful films, television shows, and stage productions. Her roles in the plays “Piaf” and “The Man Who Came to Dinner” are most notable. She is also well known for portraying Charlene Frazier Stillfield and Lana Gardener, respectively, on the sitcoms “Designing Women” and “Frasier.” With her portrayal of Regina Newley in the ABC drama “Samantha Who,” Smart has also won over the audience’s admiration. She has appeared in a number of TV shows as a guest star, including “Getting On,” “Sirens,” “Veep,” “Scarlett,” and “Maximum Security.” The Brady Bunch Movie, Sweet Home Alabama, Guinevere, I Heart Huckabees, The Accountant, Snow Day, Garden State, Project X, and Fire with Fire, to name a few, are just a handful of the films in which the American actress has appeared. Few people are aware that Smart also works as a voice actress and is most known for portraying Dr. Ann Possible in Disney’s animated action-comedy-adventure film “Kim Possible”. At the University of Washington, Smart, a three-time Emmy Award winner, is a member of the sorority Alpha Delta Pi. The artist is a mother to two kids on a personal level. She firmly believes that life gives people the opportunity to constantly evolve and take chances.

Early Childhood & Life

On September 13, 1951, Kay and Douglas Smart gave birth to Jean Elizabeth Smart in Seattle, Washington, in the United States. Her parents worked as teachers and housewives. She is one of three siblings.

Smart was given a type 1 diabetes diagnosis when he was 13 years old. She went to Ballard High School, where she received her diploma in 1969. She first developed an interest in acting in this place.
She later completed a BFA program at the University of Washington Professional Actors Training Program.

Career of Jean Smart

Following her college graduation, Jean Smart began her acting career by participating in plays throughout the Pacific Northwest. She took a plane to New York City in the middle of the 1970s and started acting in Off-Broadway plays as well as experiencing local shows.

She performed in the drama “Last Summer at Bluefish Cove” between 1980 and 1981. Soon after, she appeared as Marlene Dietrich in the Broadway production of “Piaf.”
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the actress began acting in television roles in addition to theater. She appeared in the television movies “Single Bars, Single Women” and “Piaf,” as well as the shows “Reggie,” “Teachers Only,” and “Maximum Security.”

Additionally at this time, Smart appeared in the films “Flashpoint” and “Protocol” from 1984. She was hired to play Charlene Frazier Stillfield in the sitcom “Designing Women” in 1985. From the first season of the show through the fifth, she portrayed this character.

The stunning American actress portrayed Sister Marie in the 1986 film “Fire with Fire.” Soon after, she appeared in both the TV movie “Place at the Table” and the movie “Project X.”

She worked on numerous television movies in the years 1991 and 1992, including “A Seduction in Travis County,” “Locked Up: A Mother’s Rage,” “Overkill: The Aileen Wuornos Story,” and “Just My Imagination.”

Smart had the chance to appear in a number of movies between 1993 and 1999, including “Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey,” “The Brady Bunch Movie,” “Edie and Pen,” “The Odd Couple II,” and “Guinevere.” In 2000, she was then chosen to play Lana Gardener in the television series “Frasier.” She appeared in the drama “The Man Who Came to Dinner” that same year.

She was soon cast in a number of well-known films, including “Sweet Home Alabama” and “Bringing down the House.” On “The District,” Smart also served as the detectives’ supervisor between 2000 and 2004. She played the lead in the television series “Center of the Universe” and a supporting role in the movie “I Heart Huckabees” in 2004.

The actress joined the cast of the television show “24” in January 2006. She appeared in many films between 2006 and 2010, including “Lucky You,” “Youth in Revolt,” “Barry Munday,” and “Hero Wanted.”

Smart appeared as a guest star on the TV shows “$h! My Dad Says” and “Harry’s Law” in 2011 and 2012, respectively. She also portrayed Eileen during this time in the movie “Hope Springs.”

She later appeared in the television programs “Sirens” and “Getting On.” She received castings for “Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce” and “Fargo” in 2015. On the television show “Legion,” Smart has been playing Melanie Bird, the series’ main character, since 2017.

Bigger Works of Jean Smart

From 2002 through 2007, Jean Smart provided the Dr. Ann Possible voiceover for Disney’s “Kim Possible.” The television show was a huge hit with viewers and was well-received by critics.
From 2007 through 2009, she portrayed Regina Newly in the drama “Samantha Who?” She won the Emmy for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her depiction of the controlling mother of the title character.

Recognition & Achievements

For her work in “Frasier,” Jean Smart won two consecutive Emmy Awards in the category of “Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series” in 2000 and 2001. For “Samantha Who?” she received her third Emmy in 2008 in the same category.

For her performance in “Fargo,” the actress won the “Critics’ Choice Television Award” in 2016 for Best Supporting Actress in a Movie or Miniseries.

Additionally, Smart has been nominated for a number of honorary prizes, including the Drama Desk Award, the Tony Award, the Independent Spirit Award, the Satellite Award, and the Screen Actors Guild Award.

Individual Life of Jean Smart

When Richard Gilliland appeared as a guest star on “Designing Women,” Jean Smart first met him. In 1987, the two were married.

Connor Douglas Gilliland, the son of the couple, was born on October 25, 1989. Bonnie Kathleen Gilliland, who was adopted from China in May 2009, is also one of their children.

Jean Smart Net Worth

American actress Jean Smart has a $10 million dollar net worth. She is likely most recognized for her work as Charlene Frazier Stillfield, the principal character, on the CBS sitcom “Designing Women,” which ran from 1986 to 1991. For her work on the popular television show “Frasier,” Smart later received two Emmy Awards. Undue Influence, Sweet Home Alabama, Bringing Down The House, Garden State, and The District are some of her most well-known TV and film roles. She has acted in the Emmy-nominated comedy “Hacks” on HBO Max since 2021.

Trivia

Divorcees are frequently portrayed by Jean Smart as being independent and libertarian.
The actress was given a diabetes diagnosis when she was 13 years old.
She claims that Dixie Carter is the most feminine woman she has ever encountered.