Emmy Awards: Allison Janney-Jean Smart tie for most wins ever
What's the story
Actors Allison Janney and Jean Smart made history at the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards by each winning their eighth Emmy statuette. This achievement ties them with Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Cloris Leachman for the most acting wins in Emmy history. The two women actors are now among four women who share this prestigious record.
Record-breaking achievement
Smart's historic 5th Emmy win
Smart, 75, won her fifth Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for her role in HBO's Hacks.
This win makes her the first actor to receive an acting award for every season of a show's run.
She has now tied with Mary Tyler Moore and Candice Bergen with five wins in this category.
Another milestone
Janney's record-breaking 8th Emmy win
Janney, 66, bagged her eighth Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for The Diplomat.
With this win, she has matched another record by winning acting Emmys for four different shows (after The West Wing, Mom, and Masters of Sex).
She now joins the ranks of Ed Asner, Tyne Daly, Alfre Woodard, John Lithgow, Betty White, Helen Mirren, and Laura Linney in this distinction.
Emotional moments
Acceptance speeches of the 2 actors
During her acceptance speech, Janney thanked Debora Cahn, the showrunner of The Diplomat, among others.
"Of course I have to thank Debora Cahn, who is our showrunner, who writes scripts and dialogue that actors cannot wait to chew up and spit out," she said.
Smart dedicated her award to Hacks creators Lucia Aniello, Jen Statsky, and Paul W. Downs, saying, "It all begins and ends with them. I love you guys so much."