Karen Ballard/HBO Max
Look, the last few years have been… challenging to say the VERY least. But, if there is one thing I am extremely thankful for during this tough time, it’s the renaissance of the one, the only: Jean Smart.
Technically her renaissance began with HBO’s 2019 limited series Watchmen, which premiered just before shit truly hit the fan, in terms of “everything in the world.” But, to quote Billy Joel, “it was always burning, since the world’s been turning.” So I am including it. Also, if you haven’t seen Smart absolutely steal the show as Kate Winslet’s overbearing and overly critical mother in HBO’s Mare of Easttown, get on that as well.
All of this is my long-winded way of saying that it was so very fitting that the first in-person industry event I decided to attend since the COVID-19 pandemic began was a For Your Consideration (FYC, for those in the biz) live table read of the Season 2 finale of Hacks, starring—you guessed it—Jean Smart.