Smart is on the mend following her recent heart operation (Picture: Matt Winkelmeyer/FilmMagic)
Jean Smart is reportedly ‘doing fantastic’ after her heart surgery despite having to skip the Screen Actors Guild (Sag) Awards to focus on her recovery.
The actress was unable to attend the ceremony at Los Angeles’ Fairmont
Century Plaza on Sunday night, with her Hacks co-star Chris McDonald taking to the stage to pick up her award for best actress in a comedy series for her work on the show.
Smart, 71, announced last week that she had undergone heart surgery, and urged others to ‘listen to your body’.
Speaking on the red carpet before the show, fellow co-star Rose Abdoo insisted the actress is doing well after the operation even though she was not able to attend to pick up her trophy in person.
‘We just love her. We’re sending all of our love to her and she’s doing fantastic,’ she told People.
Co-star Johnny Sibilly went on to add the show’s cast were planning to have a drink in her honour that night, saying: ‘We’re having a dirty martini for Jean tonight.’
Fellow castmember Mark Indelicato added of Smart: ‘She’s truly an actor’s actor. I think being able to work with her and just observing her is truly like a masterclass and I feel like we all feel that way so it’s incredible to just share the stage with her.’
Smart’s co-star Chris McDonald read out her acceptance speech (Picture: Evans Vestal Ward/NBC via Getty Images)
Her speech paid tribute to her co-stars and children (Picture: Frazer Harrison/WireImage)
After she won the top prize for her role in Hacks, McDonald took to
the stage on her behalf to read her pre-prepared acceptance speech.
In it, Smart apologised for not being able to attend the ceremony, while also paying tribute to her Hacks cast members and fellow award nominees.
‘Tonight, especially, I’d like to honour all the guest stars that appeared in season two, whether it was one line, you have all made our show richer, funnier, and I can’t thank you enough for that,’ the speech continued.
The speech ended by thanking her sons Connor and Forrest, calling the pair her ‘everything’ and professing her love for them.
The former Frasier actress previously opened up about her health issues in a
post on Instagram.
‘February is American Heart Month – a time when the nation spotlights heart health, so it feels important to share with all of you that I am recovering from a recent, successful heart procedure,’ she penned.
‘I am fortunate to have excellent professional care and support from family and friends while I continue to recuperate. Please listen to your body and talk to your doctor – I’m very glad I did!’
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The actress is recovering well.
