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Jean Smart Wins Critics Choice Award, Roasts Critics in Hilarious Acceptance Speech

Jean Smart won the Critics Choice Award for Best Actress in a Comedy Series for her role in 'Hacks'. In her acceptance speech, she humorously reflected on the complex relationship between artists and their critics. She referenced historical figures like critic Pauline Kael and filmmaker David Lean to illustrate the impact of criticism. The award for Best Comedy Series went to 'The Studio'.

Key Points: Jean Smart Wins Best Actress, Addresses Critics at Awards

  • Jean Smart wins for 'Hacks'
  • Speech explores artist-critic tension
  • References George Bernard Shaw and Pauline Kael
  • 'The Studio' wins Best Comedy Series
2 min read

Jean Smart addresses critics after winning Best Actress in a Comedy Series at Critics Choice Awards 2026

Jean Smart wins Best Actress at Critics Choice Awards 2026 for 'Hacks' and delivers a witty speech on the artist-critic dynamic.

"What I'll just say about the relationship between critics and artists has obviously been sort of a love, hate thing over the years. - Jean Smart"

Los Angeles, January 5

Actor Jean Smart won the award for Best Actress in a Comedy Series for 'Hacks' at the 31st annual Critics Choice Awards and used her acceptance speech to deliver a humorous reflection on the long and complicated relationship between artists and critics, according to E! News.

Accepting the award at the ceremony hosted by Chelsea Handler in Santa Monica, Smart addressed critics directly from the stage.

"What I'll just say about the relationship between critics and artists has obviously been sort of a love, hate thing over the years," Jean said from stage. "George Bernard Shaw said famously, 'A critic is a man who leaves no turn unstoned.' "

She went on to reference influential film critic Pauline Kael. "And Pauline Kael--of course, the fabulous, late Pauline Kael--was famous for her reviews, scathing and glowing, but I think people got more fun out of her scathing reviews."

Recalling notable reactions to criticism, she added, "She gave a particularly bad one to the great David Lean, who said after that he would never make another movie--and he waited 14 years, he finally made another movie, and it was his last."

Smart continued, "And George Roy Hill, who received a similar treatment from Miss Kael, wrote her a personal letter that started out, 'You miserable...'," as quoted by E! News.

Smart highlighted a quote from another critic she described as significant. "Ultimately, as critics, our responsibility is not to the emotional well-being of a specific artist," she quoted. "Our responsibility is to the reader, the art form and our work. In so doing, I believe we pay the artist respect. Our honesty and standards are an argument that the art they make matters."

"So I thank the Critics Association for your appreciation of our little show, Hacks," she added, according to the outlet.

Smart also acknowledged her fellow nominees, saying, "Thank you all so much, and my fellow nominees--brilliant, beyond brilliant," naming Kristen Bell (Nobody Wants This), Natasha Lyonne (Poker Face), Rose McIver (Ghosts), Edi Patterson (The Righteous Gemstones) and Carrie Preston (Elsbeth), according to E! News.

'Hacks' was also nominated for Best Comedy Series alongside Abbott Elementary, Only Murders in the Building, Ghosts, The Studio and others.

'The Studio' took home the award for best comedy series.

The 31st Critics Choice Awards was held at Barker Hangar in Santa Monica.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Honestly, I had to Google who Pauline Kael was. But the point about critics having a responsibility to the reader and the art form, not the artist's feelings, is spot on. We need that honesty, whether it's for a Hollywood show or a Bollywood film.
A
Aman W
She's a legend! 'Hacks' is brilliant and she absolutely deserves it. It's refreshing to see someone win and talk about something substantial instead of just thanking a list of people. More award speeches should be like this.
S
Sarah B
While I appreciate the sentiment, I think the relationship is more complicated today with social media. "Critics" now include every random person with a Twitter account, and the vitriol can be damaging in a way the old-school critics probably never imagined.
K
Karthik V
The David Lean anecdote is chilling! Imagine a critic's words having that much power that a great director stops working for 14 years. Yaar, our Indian film critics can be brutal too, but hopefully they also remember the responsibility she mentioned.
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Nikhil C
Good for her. But let's be real, this is a very insider-Hollywood conversation. For the average viewer in India, we just want to know if a show is worth our limited streaming time. A critic's job is to help us decide that, simply.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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