Jean Smart extended her performance as Deborah Vance beyond the stage on Friday night, sharing boxes of pizza with fans gathered outside the Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles. The spontaneous act followed a live comedy event where Smart, along with several "Hacks" costars, reprised their roles for a show titled "Deborah Vance & Friends & Enemies Live." Mage3 Jean Smart surprised fans with pizza outside of the Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles on Friday night; pictured August 13
The 74-year-old actress, who plays the fictional comedian Deborah Vance on the HBO drama "Hacks," took the stage earlier in the evening for the event, which coincided with the start of Emmy Awards voting. She was joined by castmates Hannah Einbinder, Paul W. Downs, Mark Indelicato, and Lauren Weedman. The show featured Smart delivering a stand-up set as Vance, a trivia segment, and performances by Weedman, comedian Naomi Ekperigin, and "Hacks" writer Pat Regan. Actress Meg Stalter also made a virtual appearance. Mage5 Earlier in the night, the 74-year-old actress had taken the stage as Deborah Vance, reprising her famous role in the HBO drama Hacks for a comedy event; seen with Hannah Einbinder in Hacks
The event, promoted as an "in-world production," concluded with Smart and Einbinder performing a medley of "Get Happy" and "Happy Days Are Here Again," a nod to the series finale. Showrunners Downs, Lucia Aniello, and Jen Statsky conceived the idea in late July and developed the script in 10 days, with the cast rehearsing just hours before the show. "It was probably the fastest yes to something like this we’ve ever gotten from the cast," Downs told The New York Times. Mage2 It comes almost three months after the series ended with its fifth and final season
Smart's decision to distribute the pizza was reportedly prompted by her discovery of untouched boxes backstage. "These can’t be thrown out – this is terrible," she is quoted as saying. Footage shared by People magazine captured the actress handing out the food to an eager crowd.
Mage4 L-R Hacks writer Jen Statsky, Smart, actress Hannah Einbinder, producer Lucia Aniello, and actor Paul W. Downs pictured on Sunday
The live event comes nearly three months after "Hacks" concluded its fifth and final season. The series recently garnered significant attention at the 2026 Emmy nominations, securing the second-highest number of nods with 24, including a Best Actress in a Comedy nomination for Smart. Smart has previously won seven Primetime Emmys, four of which were for her role in "Hacks."