9 Jean Smart movies and TV shows you must watch at least once

Jean Smart has forged an unparalleled decades-long career, seamlessly moving between acerbic comedies, intense dramas, and multidimensional character parts. Anchoring blockbuster films or performing powerhouse work in blockbuster TV shows, Jean Smart imbues each part with unshakable depth, wit, and range.

From her early TV appearances to her recent reemergence in high-profile critical darlings, Jean Smart continues to remind us why she remains admired in Hollywood.

In an industry too often consumed by youth and fads, Jean Smart's enduring longevity says a great deal about her skill to reinvent herself with each new endeavor. Her work on television shows such as Fargo and Watchmen demonstrates an understanding of emotional complexity, while films like Babylon illustrate her larger-than-life persona. What sets her apart is her incredible talent for sensing the humanity in every character, rendering even the most minor of parts unforgettable.

Whether you're an established fan or coming into her genius for the first time, these films and television programs showcase the best of Jean Smart. Every choice on this list provides something different, illustrating why she's a genuine icon worthy of viewing at least once.

---

9 Jean Smart movies and TV shows you must watch at least once

1. Babylon (2022)

In Damien Chazelle's sweeping 1920s-set epic Babylon, Jean Smart turns in a scene-stealing performance as Elinor St. John, a withering film star grasping for relevancy. Amid the movie madness, the thumping parties, and frenzied cuts from silent to sound, Jean Smart injects a real-world dignity that suggests the indulgence of the film. What's new: through retrospective interviews, she shares how her own life experience in Hollywood shaped Elinor's truth, providing layers of vulnerability behind the glamour. While Babylon divided critics, Jean Smart's nuanced performance was lauded as "the emotional anchor in an operatic storm." A must-see for those who love dense, character-based epics.

---

2. The Accountant (2016)

In her role as the high-powered CFO Rita Blackburn in The Accountant, Smart brings steel and sophistication to the smooth thriller co-starring Ben Affleck and Anna Kendrick. Her handling of a woman torn between loyalty and suspicion is crisp and understated. She's the cool center in a storm of financial suspense. Unparalleled insight: Jean Smart talked to actual corporate executives to take on a realistic business attitude. Her deliberate pace in critical meetings truly unnerves the audience. What ensues is a character that demands respect without needing to scream. Although overshadowed by Affleck's thriller persona, Smart's performance is still a quietly intimidating standout.

---

3. Garden State (2004)

Jean Smart excels in Garden State as Dr. Jane Wexler, the offbeat, outspoken mother of Andrew. Her friendly wit, combining deadpan delivery with knockout sincerity, lays some emotional groundwork for Zach Braff's sincere tale. New insight: Smart admitted that she improvised a lot of her "you need to wear a bra" dialogue to capture spontaneous maternal repartee. Although the movie focuses on Braff's generation, Smart's realistic performance helps fill the generation gap, lending the picture multi-generational appeal. It's still a quietly dazzling treatise on family bonding.

---

4. Sweet Home Alabama (2002)

In the charming romantic comedy Sweet Home Alabama, Smart plays the straight-talking Southern aunt Misty, who assists Reese Witherspoon's Melanie in reclaiming her Alabama heritage. Smart has the regional flair down pat: the shortened accent, sly looks, and quick-witted one-liners. Each scene is seasoned with spice and authenticity. Off-screen, she urged the cast to own up to their Southern heritage instead of cleansing it for mainstream audiences, which honed the film's location. Although sometimes eclipsed by Witherspoon's performance, Smart's is a scene-stealing one: she's the one-liner queen who earths Melanie's tale with a tough shot of heart.

---

5. Youth in Revolt (2009)

As Charlotte Decker, the tough-talking mother in Youth in Revolt, Smart opposes Michael Cera's goofy charm with comedic force and a no-nonsense attitude. Smart's timing could not be better: her mocking tone and exasperated face, such as when dressing down her son for wearing a pitch-perfect. A little behind-the-scenes trivia: she went out of her way to keep emotional distance in her scenes to make the adolescent's awkward humor sharper, which paid huge dividends at the comedy's turning points. Her chemistry with Cera creates tension and levity in precisely the right measures, making her one of the most memorable parents in teen comedy during the early 2000s.

---

6. Fargo — Season 2 (2015)

Smart's performance as Floyd Gerhardt in Fargo Season 2 is compelling: as the mother of a 1970s crime family, she navigates hard-nosed leadership and seething fear of losing it. Her nuanced journey from icy leader to tearful mother propels the season's energy forward. Uniqueness angle: Interviews confirm Smart worked from actual‑life Midwestern accent recordings from the period, imbuing Floyd with an actual, era-specific tone that carries throughout. It's one of Smart's greatest scares. Her stare can freeze a scene. Critics concur: she was the standout in a season renowned for its ensemble performances.

---

7. Watchmen (2019)

In HBO's Watchmen, Smart is Laurie Blake, formerly sidekick "Silk Spectre II," now a highly respected FBI agent who wields second chances and cynicism in equal amounts. Her performance as a morally ambivalent operative grappling with legacy and trauma was a highlight in a cast full of stars. New perspective: Smart hinted in interviews that she adopted Laurie's "clashing shoes" look to announce the character's scrambled inner life, a quiet visual gesture that left fans suspicious. With her gently explosive presence, Smart creates Laurie as toughened and traumatized, mapping her emotional trajectory with depth - a multidimensional, unforgettable performance.

---

8. Mare of Easttown (2021)

In Mare of Easttown, Smart has a short but memorable stint as Lori Ross, mother of tragedy-wracked Erin. Although she's on camera for mere moments, her vulnerable emotional breakdown during an uncomfortable family encounter rings so true. Smart's restraint, restraining tears but expressing such searing grief, created a sense of raw pain. New detail: Smart described Lori’s visual world as “muted mid-Atlantic,” and specifically chose wardrobe and tone to reflect a character numbed by loss. It’s a small role but one that helps seal Mare’s portrayal of community grief, adding a distinctive emotional punctuation in a deeply human drama.

---

9. Designing Women (1986–1993)

Smart charmed fans as the witty and ambitious Charlene Frazier-Stillfield on Designing Women, handing out witty one-liners with perfect timing over seven seasons. Her growth from innocent receptionist to astute co-owner tracks the show's ascension in addressing social issues with humor. Unique insight: Smart attributes the writers' room on Designing Women for fostering off-the-cuff input. She allegedly implored them to rewrite Charlene's catchphrase "Shazam! " as a reference to mixing southern sass with confidence, which became iconic. Her rapport with Dixie Carter and Delta Burke made the show a '90s cultural touchstone. Charlene is still one of the warmest, funniest Southern sitcom characters today.

---

Jean Smart's body of work in films and television is a testament to her remarkable range and longevity. From dominating the screen in dark dramas to swiping scenes in smart comedies, she infuses each performance with authenticity and depth. These thoughtfully selected films and TV shows illustrate just how versatile and engrossing she is, whether playing a tough matriarch, a bereaved mother, or a charming Southern belle. As fans continue to rediscover and re-appreciate her work, one thing is for sure: Jean Smart is not only a star of the past but an enduring talent to see over and over again.