Can we talk… about the inspiration for Jean Smart’s character
Tim Baysinger | July 13, 2021 @ 4:19 PM
HBO Max
Shortly after “Hacks” premiered, one popular fan theory about the Jean Smart-led HBO Max comedy was that her stand-up comedian Deborah Vance was modeled after the late Joan Rivers.
After all, she was an older female comedian who experienced a lifetime in front of the camera, including an all-too-short tenure as a late-night TV host. TheWrap caught up with “Hacks” co-creators Paul W. Downs, Lucia Aniello and Jen Statsky a few hours after the show was nominated for 15 Emmy, and asked if they based Smart’s Las Vegas comedian Deborah Vance on anyone specific.
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“I was always a late bloomer, but this is ridiculous!” Jean Smart laughs. The 69-year-old actress is referring to the deluge of great roles that have come her way in the last five or six years, including those in “Fargo,” “Legion” and “Watchmen.” Her two latest projects, “Hacks” and “Mare of Easttown,” both on HBO, couldn’t be more different, but that’s the point for Smart, who says she seeks out characters who feel new to her.
“Ideally, I want to do something [I haven’t done before],” she says. “Or at least a version of that person I’ve never been able to show. The thing about actors, which is why I feel so lucky, is that most actors go their entire career and they don’t ever really get to show what they can do or what they’re capable of. I feel extraordinarily grateful that I’ve been in so many interesting roles, at least in the last couple years. Part of me wishes it would have happened 20 years ago, or even 30 years ago would ha
stacked to the sky. and never looked back. outside of my kids being born, and i m only saying that because you re supposed to, it was the coolest moment of my life. it was great. it was a great night. everybody loves carson and considers him to be this really important figure in their lives who made their careers. of course we don t hear from the female performers who struggled in comedy in general who might not have gotten that chance. every time i went on for the bookers they d say no, no, he s not going to like it. no, no, no. so i never got on the tonight show forever. unbeknownst to me, helen reddy was going to guest host. helen said should i put elayne boosler on? i hear she s great. put her on. will you please welcome a brand new comedy talent? elayne boosler. it s very confusing because
Teaching an old dog new tricks can be a tricky prospect, especially if the old dog is a female stand-up comic whoâs forced to find a new âvoice.â
Thatâs the juicy premise for HBO Maxâs comedy, âHacks,â starring Jean Smart as the mouthy comedienne who is required to adapt to a millennial writer who thinks she is as funny as her boss.
Smart, whoâs known for her colorful characters in shows like âWatchmen,â â24â and âFargo,â enjoys exploring all kinds of âvoices,â she says.
âMost people have many different sides to their personalities. People are always more complicated than you think, and itâs fun to be able to have an excuse or a time and a place to dig into these parts of yourself. Other people do it in their jobs in a different way,â she says.
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