Jean Smart Remembers Her Late Husband in Tear-Jerking Emmys Acceptance Speech

On Sunday, Jean Smart tugged at our heartstrings on the 2021 Emmys.

Smart received a standing ovation while taking home the award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for her work on “Hacks.”

While accepting the award, Smart paid tribute to her husband, who died from a “brief illness” in March at the age of 71. She told the star-studded audience, “Before I say anything else, I have to acknowledge my late husband Richard Gilliland, who passed away six months yesterday. I would not be here without him, and without his kind of putting his career on the back burner so I could take advantage of all the wonderful opportunities that I have had."

Jean also showed her appreciation to her “incredible” and “unselfish” children Connor and Forrest, who “put up with Mommy commuting from Philadelphia and back.”

Jean took Forrest, 13, as her date to the Emmys.

Before picking up the award, Jean and Forrest chatted on the red carpet with E! News. He expressed that he was “very proud of her,” adding that she “worked really hard for everything.”