Jean Smart, four-time Emmy Award winning actress, will honor her sister, Georgia Smart, who passed away from Glioblastoma this past January, by walking in the Seattle Brain Cancer Walk on June 26th at the Seattle Center.
As a Seattle native and a Board Member of the Chris Elliott Fund for Glioblastoma Brain Cancer Research, Ms. Smart has made it a priority to help fund research for this disease and eradicate brain cancer for good. By recording countless TV PSAs, radio PSAs, performing advocacy work, and attending multiple events for the Chris Elliott Fund, Jean Smart is honoring her sister in a big way. "This disease needs to come out of the shadows and into the light, and I am going to make sure I am doing my part to build awareness for brain cancer and honor my sister and her legacy," touted Ms. Smart.
Jean Smart Bio
A versatile and gifted actress, Jean Smart continues to exhibit her extraordinary talents in theater, television and film. Since completing her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at the University of Washington, Smart's career has launched into worldwide critical acclaim. Before coming to Los Angeles she made her Broadway debut in "Piaf" and originated the role of Lil in "Last Summer at Bluefish Cove" Off-Broadway for which she received a Drama Desk nomination.
Jean will be seen in the upcoming Warner Brothers feature film, "Life As We Know It" alongside Katherine Heigl, Josh Lucas, Josh Duhamel and Christina Hendricks. Ian Deitchman and Kristin Rusk Robinson wrote this film. Barry Josephson and Paul Brooks are producing for Gold Circle and Greg Berlanti is directing. Smart will play the role of Helen, Heigl's character's mother. Smart can also be seen as Michael Cera's mother in Miguel Arteta's comedy "Youth in Revolt", a comedy that topped the box office this January.
Smart received her third Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy for her role in the series, "Samantha Who?" with Christina Applegate. In January, 2006 Smart received her fourth Emmy nomination, this time for her role as the troubled and medicated First Lady Martha Logan on the Fox Drama "24". That same year the show won the Emmy for Best Drama, and received a Golden Globe nomination and a Screen Actor's Guild nomination for Ensemble Cast.
In 2001 Smart won her second Emmy Award for her guest-starring role on "Frasier" and was nominated for Guest Actress in a Drama Series for her recurring role on "The District".
In the year 2000, Smart received recognition in theater, film and television. She earned an Independent Spirit Award nomination for her critically acclaimed performance in the Miramax feature film "Guinevere" opposite Sarah Polley, she was awarded her first Emmy for her hilarious recurring role on "Frasier" and she was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for her starring role on Broadway opposite Nathan Lane in "The Man Who Came To Dinner".
She starred in the HBO drama series "Maximum Security" before starring in the popular sitcom "Designing Women". Several TV series and television films followed, including "Overkill", the critically acclaimed story of serial killer Aileen Wuornos, "High Society", in which she played neurotic novelist Ellie Walker opposite Mary McDonnell (an Americanized version of the British phenomenon "Absolutely Fabulous"), Peter Tolan's comedy "Style and Substance", "In-Laws" opposite Dennis Farina and "Center of the Universe" opposite John Goodman. In 2003 Smart starred with husband Richard Gilliland in the film "Audrey's Rain" for the Hallmark Channel.
Smart's additional film credits include Curtis Hanson's "Lucky You" opposite Eric Bana and Robert Duvall, "Hero Wanted" starring Cuba Gooding, Jr. and Ray Liotta, "Garden State" for first-time director and writer Zach Braff opposite Braff, Natalie Portman and Peter Sarsgaard, "Mistress" with Danny Aiello and Robert DeNiro, "Flashpoint" with Kris Kristofferson, "Bringing Down the House," with Steve Martin and Queen Latifa , "The Kid" with Bruce Willis and "Sweet Home Alabama" with Reese Witherspoon, and "I Heart Huckabees."
Smart currently resides in Los Angeles with her husband, son and daughter.