Overview
- Jean Smart said the “heart procedure” disclosed in February 2023 was a triple bypass, clarifying the limited statements issued by HBO Max and Universal Television at the time.
- The Hacks star recalled feeling chest pressure and unusual fatigue during a Season 3 shoot and first assumed she was simply out of shape.
- She phoned her cardiologist after hours and was told to go to the emergency room, then went to the hospital after finishing the scene.
- Co-creator Paul W. Downs said surgeons told her a stent would not work and that she needed a triple bypass.
- She consulted three surgeons and recovered with support from colleagues, and Hacks paused filming in 2023 before she returned to finish the season.