What Jean Smart Said in Her Red Carpet 'Rant' at the 2026 Golden Globes
- - What Jean Smart Said in Her Red Carpet 'Rant' at the 2026 Golden Globes
Julia MooreJanuary 12, 2026 at 3:58 AM
0
JC Olivera/2026GG/Penske Media via Getty
Jean Smart at the 83rd Annual Golden Globes held at The Beverly Hilton on January 11, 2026 in Beverly Hills, California -
Jean Smart addressed current political events at the 2026 Golden Globes
The Hacks star, 74, said on the red carpet that the awards show was "overshadowed" by the political turmoil in the U.S.
"This is kind of a moment of reckoning, I think, in this country," Smart said
Jean Smart was candid about her fears for the country at the 2026 Golden Globes.
The Hacks star — who won Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Series, Musical or Comedy for her role as Deborah Vance — made several statements on the red carpet ahead of the awards show as she made it clear that her focus was on politics rather than entertainment on Sunday, Jan. 11.
“Everything’s kind of, a little bit overshadowed, with what's going on in our country," Smart, 74, told Entertainment Tonight. She was asked about how filming has been going on the fifth and final season of the HBO comedy series she stars in alongside Hannah Einbinder, but she shifted the conversation's focus to current affairs.
"I feel like we’re kind of at a turning point in this country, and I hope people can keep their heads, because that’s actually, really, the hardest thing, I think, is to keep our heads," she told ET. "It’s going to take a lot of courage and a lot of restraint, but I think that’s important."
"I feel like there are certain entities that would like us to fight back and possibly… I don’t know, it’s very concerning," Smart said.
Amy Sussman/Getty
Jean Smart attends the 83rd Annual Golden Globe Awards at The Beverly Hilton on January 11, 2026
She also addressed criticism of Hollywood stars tackling political issues: "I know that there are people who find it annoying when actors take opportunities like this to talk about social and political things. But I'm not here right now speaking as an actress, I'm just speaking as a citizen and a mom, and I hope people understand that."
In another interview on the red carpet with Variety, Smart commented further on how she's feeling. “I’m not as optimistic about things these days, about the world these days, but I just hope the people realize how important what’s going on is right now," she said.
"Really, this is kind of a moment of reckoning, I think, in this country. And I just hope that people do the right thing, and I think almost everybody knows in their hearts what is the right thing."
— sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
She also told the outlet that she doesn't "feel like my opinion matters more than anybody’s," but "I feel like if you feel strongly about something, and you have the chance to share your feelings or encourage people or cheer somebody on, you should do it."
Rich Polk/Getty
Jean Smart at the 83rd Annual Golden Globes held at The Beverly Hilton on January 11, 2026 in Beverly Hills, California
In her acceptance speech during the show, Smart reflected on the comments she'd made on the carpet.
"There's just a lot that could be said tonight. I said my rant on the red carpet, so I won’t do it here," she said. "Let’s all do the right thing, and I think everybody in their hearts knows what the right thing is to do. So let’s do the right thing."
See PEOPLE's coverage of the 83rd annual Golden Globe Awards, taking place at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles on Sunday, Jan. 11 at 8 p.m. EST, airing on CBS and streaming on Paramount+.
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
