Meet Jean Smart’s two children she shared with late actor husband – who played Annie Potts’ on-screen boyfriend

Jean Elizabeth Smart was born on 13 September 1951. She began acting in the late 1970s with early television and theatre roles before gaining wider recognition in the early 1980s with roles in Hoodlums (1980) and Another World (1981). 

She is a multi-Emmy-winning actress, with six Primetime Emmy wins to date.

Jean met husband Richard Gilliland on the set of Designing Women when he arrived to play co-star Annie’s boyfriend. After inviting him into her trailer to do a crossword puzzle and flirting all week, Jean tried to play it off as an ‘assigned task’ to make the guest star feel more comfortable.

Fortunately, he didn’t buy it. They said ‘I do’ in June 1987 and remained together for over 30 years until her husband’s death in 2021.

Connor Douglas Gilliland was born in October 1989 to Jean Smart and husband Robert Gilliland. Despite his star-studded family, Connor’s opted for a quieter life out of the spotlight, but does have a little on-set experience.

In 2022, Jean recalled Connor’s visit to set at just two years old: “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’.” She described her first son as a “very serious child”, “formed hearing lots of laughter but came out very serious.”

Forrest Gilliland was adopted from China as a young child and joined the family around 2010. Almost 20 years younger than brother Connor, Forrest has reportedly shown a keen interest in acting.

In 2024, Jean told Glamour: “The second this baby was handed to us, we were just so besotted. It was the best. My youngest is just an amazing person.” Forrest has appeared with his mum at the 2021 Emmys where he told E! News he a “very proud” of his mother.

Jean is best-known for her work on Designing Women between 1986 and 1991,  providing five years of iconic sitcom comedy as optimistic office manager Charlene.

She’s also appeared in Babylon (2022), The Accountant (2016), Garden State (2004) and multiple episodes of Kiefer Sutherland cop drama 24 (2006-2007).

Jean Smart is still active as an actress today, with roles in the Charlotte’s Web mini series, workplace sitcom Hacks and appeared in comedy short Too Good as God. 

She’s recently been romantically linked to actor Joe Pacheco and arrived to the 2026 premiere of Hacks‘ final season holding hands with her partner.