Jean Smart received a lot of media attention while walking down the red carpet at the 2026 Golden Globes when she spoke out about social and political separation, an issue that continued to create much dialogue on social media.

The veteran actress, who is perhaps best known for her appearance in HBO Max's "Hacks," seemed very emotional while discussing recent events prior to the award show.

The conversation happened soon after Smart got to the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. Someone asked her how she was feeling before the awards show during a red carpet interview. RadarOnline says that Smart looked sad as she answered.

Smart started her speech by talking about the state of the country as a whole. She said, "It's going good...good. You know everything is a little bit overshadowed with what's going on in the country."

She then went into more detail about her worries without mentioning any specific political issues. Smart went on to say, "I feel like we're kind of at a turning point in this country, and I hope people can keep their heads, 'cause that's actually going to be the hardest thing... is to keep our heads," per The HollyWood Reporter.

The actress went on to stress the importance of self-control and coming together in times of doubt. "That's going to take a lot of courage and a lot of restraint. I feel like there are certain entities that maybe would like us to fight back, and possibly...it's very concerning."

The Sun said that critics quickly spoke out, saying that the actress had brought politics into an entertainment event.

One viewer wrote, "Jean Smart already ruined @etnow pre @goldenglobes by putting her political opinion in the first 5 minutes." Another commenter agreed, saying, "Amen! Sick to my stomach hearing her speak" A third post made things worse by saying, "Jean Smart wants war? She might get it."

Smart knew that her comments would cause division, so she addressed any possible criticism directly during the same conversation. She said, "I know people find it annoying that an actor takes the opportunities like this to talk about social issues and politics, but I'm not here as an actress, but as a citizen and a mom. I hope people understand that."

Stars have used the Golden Globes ceremony in the past to talk about social issues. Still, Smart's emotional comments made it clear that these kinds of moments still make people feel forcefully about them.

Despite the backlash, Smart was one of the night's most important people. She talked about her worries outside of acting while also talking about her career successes.