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Hacks star Jean Smart, 73, reveals she suffered a painful knee injury that forced her to take two weeks off work

BBG News

Jean Smart recently disclosed that she’s been dealing with a bothersome knee issue for the past two weeks, preventing her from participating in her play during this timeframe.

Smart, 73, hurt herself on the 4th of July while walking around the New York City with her sons. 

In an interview with People, The Designing Woman shared that she fell hard after accidentally tripping over a small base of a safety barrier resembling a hockey puck. She explained that this barrier is meant to prevent vehicles from driving too near corners.

In New York City, it seems quite frequent to encounter such incidents. Smart put it this way, ‘While I was seated on the street, awaiting the arrival of an ambulance, a man stumbled over the very same obstacle as I did.’

Upon reaching the modest hospital where she initially received care, Smart’s hypothesis found confirmation when the healthcare worker acknowledged, “Ah, I recognize your situation. We see one like this every day.

The actress, who received another Emmy nomination for her portrayal of comedienne Debra Vance in Hacks, is currently captivating audiences with her solo performance in the Broadway show titled Call Me Izzy.

Additionally, this happens at a small healthcare facility. I asked, “Why isn’t anyone protesting loudly about it instead?

Her finding was that people in New York tend to endure much and respond with an indifferent shrug, saying something like, “Oh well, what can you do?

Later, the actress from The Big Mouth was moved to a different hospital, where an exceptionally skilled surgeon performed knee surgery on her on July 8. On that same day, the Call Me Izzy Instagram account announced her temporary absence.

On Tuesday, the production enthusiastically shared news about Smart’s comeback through their Instagram Stories. A caption read, “Tonight! Warmly Welcoming Back Jean,” accompanying a promotional clip of the show.

The plan was for Smart to return to the stage wearing a leg brace. 

She mentioned that she won’t be as active as before, even though her performance is solo, it doesn’t involve elaborate dance routines like large tap numbers or flips on stage.

These solo performances might appear as simple conversations, but I’m confident that the audience won’t be let down. The narrative is truly captivating.

The story revolves around Isabell, a resident of Louisiana, who finds herself entangled in an abusive relationship. She harbors the belief that her skill with poetry could potentially offer her a means of escape.

Tony winner Johanna Day stepped in to cover for Smart during her medical leave. 

The actress may need to don a knee-support while performing, yet she anticipates that viewers will barely perceive it for a couple of moments. Instead, they’re expected to immerse themselves in the narrative without giving it a second thought.

During a rehearsal prior to Tuesday’s show, Smart disclosed that incorporating the brace brought a fresh aspect to her portrayal. “It gave the character a sense of confinement an extra dimension,” she elaborated.

‘So that was kind of an interesting thing to notice,’ Smart said of the experience.

Since I can’t fully perform as I normally do, coordinating movements from head to toe, it felt almost as though, with me mainly relying on upper-body actions now, this unexpectedly invigorated my voice.

While she’s working on healing from her injury, she confessed, “I can’t predict exactly how much strength I’ll regain in my leg, and straightening it out will take time. But if all goes well, by the end, I might just be hopping about with ease.

Call Me Izzy was scheduled to run through August 24. 

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2025-07-22 20:33

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