The Unprecedented Quest for Emmy History: Jean Smart vs. Zendaya

Emmy night is always a thrilling spectacle, but this year, the stakes are higher than ever before as two formidable actresses — Jean Smart and Zendaya — battle it out for a groundbreaking achievement that has never been seen in Emmy history. Smart's iconic portrayal of Deborah Vance in HBO Max's "Hacks" has earned her four consecutive lead comedy actress wins, making her the first actress to sweep every season of a series. With "Hacks" set to conclude after its fifth season, Smart is poised to make history once again. A fifth win would not only complete an unparalleled run across the show's entire life span but also move Smart into a coveted tie with Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Cloris Leachman for the second most acting Emmys won by a female performer. Joining this elite list, should she win, is Zendaya who has already made history twice as Rue on HBO's "Euphoria." If she manages to secure another lead drama actress victory, she will join Smart, Allison Janney, and Mary Tyler Moore in a rare club of performers with six Emmy wins. However, if Jean Smart falls short, she would share an agonizing near miss with Louis-Dreyfus who won six Emmys across the seven-season run of "Veep." But who can stand between these powerhouse actresses and their place in television history? Lisa Kudrow, who has earned nominations for every season of cringe comedy "The Comeback," could potentially steal the show. A previous winner for "Friends" and a nominee with cowriter Michael Patrick King, there's a strong possibility that she could win her third Emmy, similar to the performer who beat Louis-Dreyfus in 2019: Phoebe Waller-Bridge for "Fleabag." Zendaya's streak is shorter but no less impressive and arguably more difficult to sustain in her competitive field. She won lead drama actress for the first two seasons of "Euphoria" in 2020 and 2022, becoming the youngest two-time Emmy winner in history. Now, after the show's lengthy hiatus, she returns with a chance to remain undefeated for a third time, but mixed reviews and stiff competition from Rhea Seehorn from "Pluribus" and Keri Russell from "The Diplomat" make her task incredibly challenging. History has shown that achieving an Emmy sweep is exceptionally rare. Only Bill Cosby has won an acting Emmy for every season of a scripted series that lasted at least three seasons, sweeping all three installments of "I Spy" from 1966 through 1968. A victory by either Smart or Zendaya would end a drought that has lasted nearly six decades and mark the first woman to achieve this milestone. So who will make history this Emmy season? The suspense is palpable as we wait for the envelope to be opened on September 12th, 2026. Will it be Jean Smart or Zendaya, two of the most decorated performers of their generations, who etches their name into Emmy history forever? Only time will tell!