Who are Jean Smart’s sons? All about Connor Gilliland and Forrest Gilliland as actress recalls wardrobe mishap when meeting college counsellor

Jean Smart didn’t just find love while filming Designing Women, she also built a family from that sitcom set. The Emmy-winning actress met her late husband, Richard Gilliland, during the show’s run. By June 1987, Jean and Richard had exchanged vows. Their first son, Connor Gilliland, was born in October 1989. Nearly twenty years later, they welcomed Forrest Gilliland into their home through adoption in May 2009.

Jean Smart didn’t hold back when it came to sharing a hilariously awkward parenting moment during her interview with Stephen Colbert on June 2. The Legion actress looked back on a well-intentioned outfit choice that turned into a head-shaking discovery after a meeting at her son’s school. While dressing for a college counseling appointment, Smart opted for a new pair of pants she thought were pretty.

“I bought this pair of white pants the other day, and they had kind of this green, kind of embroidered vine or something. I thought they were kind of pretty and really comfy,” she explained.

But the real pattern wasn’t apparent until later.

"I wore them to my son's school to meet the college counselor and later, I really looked at them, and I went, 'Oh. That's a mar**uana plant with a naked woman on one leg. And on the other thigh was a bong,’” she shared.

She left out whether the meeting was for Connor or Forrest, but the story certainly made its mark.

Jean Smart says son Connor stepped up after father’s death:

Connor’s early childhood unfolded amid soundstages and scripts. With both parents on set, he had an unusual but deeply immersive upbringing. In a 2022 interview with Elle, Jean Smart recalled a moment that summed up her son’s early grasp of the TV world. At just two years old, he would sit quietly with headphones in a director’s chair, mimicking the crew’s cues.

“He picked up right away that when he hears that buzz, that’s when everybody has to be quiet and they’re going to say ‘action, so, sitting there, the buzzer goes, he goes like, ‘Shh, shh,’” she shared.

Despite the noise and energy that filled his earliest surroundings, Connor’s personality leaned in a different direction.

“He was a very serious child, very serious. ... I always say that he was formed hearing lots of laughter but came out very serious,” Smart shared.

After Gilliland’s death, Connor moved back in with Jean Smart and his brother to help the family adjust.

Smart referenced both her sons and Connor's efforts in helping the family in a 2023 People Magazine report,

“They take very good care of me, he’s been helping me a lot since we lost his dad, and so it’s been very nice to have him around,” she shared.

The actress also noted that her children played a role in her decision to seek medical help for heart concerns. As a result, she underwent a minor procedure.

“I’m the one running the show now, completely on my own, and if something happens to me, what happens to my kids?” she said during the interview.

Jean Smart reflects on her late husband and their decision to adopt:

Jean Smart and her late husband Richard Gilliland adopted their second child, Forrest. Born in China in mid-2008, Forrest joined the family when he was around 18 months old. The couple’s older son, Connor, is nearly 20 years older than Forrest, making for a wide age gap between the siblings.

Speaking to Glamour in 2024, Smart looked back on the decision. Jean shared that she and Gilliland had multiple conversations about the adoption decision. When the time felt right, they began the paperwork and brought Forrest into their lives.

“The second this baby was handed to us, we were just so besotted. It was the best, my youngest is just an amazing person,” she told the magazine.

The 2022 Critics Choice Awards turned into a family celebration for Jean Smart, especially with her son Forrest cheering her on. Forrest spoke proudly about his mother:

"She's working like 13, 16 hours a day, every Monday through Friday, the one time she got a day off since December, she decided to spend it with me." he shared.

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"She works really hard for, like, everything. So I think it's good. I'm glad she's nominated because I like these award shows." he added.

That evening, Smart’s hard work was recognized with the award for Best Actress in a Comedy Series for Hacks.

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