Jean Smart, Jeff Probst among former Seattle-area residents to get Emmy nods

Actor Jean Smart and Survivor" host Jeff Probst were among those with Seattle-area ties who earned Emmy nominations Wednesday morning.

Smart, a Ballard High School graduate and former University of Washington student, got the nod in the category of lead actress in a comedy, for HBO Max's "Hacks." Smart has won the category for every one of the show's previous four seasons and was widely expected to be honored again for its fifth and final season. In "Hacks," which brought her the kind of leading role that's been rare in her long career, she plays veteran Las Vegas comedian Deborah Vance, whose fading career finds new life when she teams with young writer Ava Daniels (Hannah Einbinder, nominated for supporting actress in a comedy series).

Probst was nominated for best host of a reality or reality competition program - a category he has won four times previously, for CBS' "Survivor. Probst grew up in the Seattle area, graduating from Bellevue's Newport High School, and began his career here.

Also with a local connection: Lauren Weedman, who lived in Seattle from 1995 to 2000 and was a staple of the local theater scene, received her first Emmy nomination for outstanding guest actress in a comedy, for her hilarious work as the mayor of Las Vegas in "Hacks."

The Emmy Awards will take place Sept. 14 at 5 p.m., televised on NBC and streaming on Peacock.

This story has been updated to include Lauren Weedman among the former Seattle-area residents to get Emmy nominations.

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This story was originally published July 8, 2026 at 4:50 PM.