Jean Smart could set a brand-new record at the 2026 Primetime Emmy Awards on September 14. If she wins in the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for her role as Deborah Vance in the final season of Hacks, she'll be the first comedy lead actor to win for every season of a single television series.
Plus, the win would give her eight acting Emmys, which would tie the all-time record with Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Cloris Leachman.
With Smart back in the spotlight because of the awards show, we're taking a deep dive into her love life, including her current romance and her relationship with her late husband.
Smart is in a relationship with Joe Pacheco. While it's unclear exactly when they started dating, they made their red carpet debut at the 2024 Emmy Awards, then attended the Golden Globes together in 2025. Pacheco was once again Smart's date to the Emmys in 2025, Golden Globes 2026, and was by her side at the premiere for Hacks' final season in April.
The actress told CBS Mornings in June 2025 that she was dating a "wonderful actor." When she appeared on the Wiser Than Me podcast in May 2026, she called her boyfriend an "extremely lovely man" and said she met him at a friend's party.

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