Jean Smart Misses SAG Award Win Following Heart Procedure

On Sunday, Jean Smart earned the SAG Award for her work on HBO's Hacks but was unable to attend due to health complications. Instead, longtime co-star Christopher McDonald accepted the award in her place.

On Thursday, Smart shared on Instagram that she is doing well following a recent heart procedure. Additionally, she thanked her co-stars and fellow nominees for their support in the process.

Hacks’ Christopher McDonald accepts SAG Award on her behalf

Jean Smart won the lead actress award on HBO Max's "Hacks" twice, in 2021 and 2022 respectively for her role. However, production on Season 3 of the hit comedy series has been put on hold as she recovers from heart surgery. On Thursday morning, Smart shared an Instagram post in which she revealed she had successfully undergone the surgery and was doing well.

On Sunday, Smart missed out on the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Female Actress in a Comedy Series. However, Hacks' Christopher McDonald expressed his appreciation and accepted the award on her behalf in a statement.

The SAG Awards are an important ceremony to follow because they often serve as a predictor for the Oscars, since actors make up the largest portion of Academy voters. In two years running, the best cast victor has gone on to win best picture at the Academy Awards.

This year's show is streaming live on Netflix's YouTube channel from the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles and presented by the Screen Actors Guild, representing over 160,000 actors, announcers, broadcasters, dancers, DJs, news reporters, program hosts and other professionals working in television and film.

There are six film awards and nine TV races this year, including best ensemble. The awards show is always a high point of the TV season but also has an established history of supporting smaller shows. This year "Abbott Elementary" took home the award for best TV comedy ensemble while "The White Lotus" claimed victory in the category for best TV drama ensemble.

No stars were in attendance, but some nominees still took to the red carpet for celebration. Will Smith kissed Jada Pinkett Smith shortly after winning an SAG Award for best cast performance in a leading role for his role as Richard Williams - father of tennis greats Venus and Serena - in "King Richard."

Jennifer Coolidge was beaming after winning her third SAG Award for "Parasite," a teen-led film about teenage deaf characters. She told the crowd that she had loved acting since seeing Charlie Chaplin's films in first grade.

Smart’s Instagram post

On Thursday, Emmy winner Jean Smart shared on her Instagram account that she is recovering from a heart procedure. In honor of February being American Heart Month, Jean encouraged her followers to stay healthy by posting the news.

Though she didn't provide further details about the surgery, it was deemed successful and she hoped her story would serve as an encouraging example for others. After writing that she was "resting and recovering" after having undergone multiple surgeries, she looked forward to a brighter future.

Smart, a 5'10", statuesque Seattle native, graduated from Ballard High School in 1969 and went on to study at the University of Washington where she earned a bachelor's degree in fine arts.

Smart has portrayed a wide variety of characters in television and film, such as a serial killer in Overkill: The Aileen Wuornos Story (1992), a mother in Fargo (2015) and Laurie Juspeczyk in Watchmen (2019). She was nominated for an Emmy Award in 2022 for her portrayal of Deborah Vance on Hacks.

Smart has been married to Richard Gilliland since 1986 and they had two children, Connor and Forrest. Unfortunately, her husband passed away from a heart condition in 2021, so she dedicated her best actress Emmy win for Hacks to him.

She's still acting, currently appearing on HBO Max series Hacks and set to star opposite Andy Samberg in a romantic comedy. Recently joined Instagram, her feed already showcases all of her adorable mom vibes that we've come to expect from her.

The actor is also a well-known activist, having spearheaded efforts to raise awareness about juvenile diabetes. Diagnosed at 13 years old, she has taken an active role in spreading knowledge of this condition among others.

Smart is a successful actor and mother. She shares two children - a son with her husband, as well as an adopted son from China - with him.

Smart has always championed mental and physical wellbeing throughout her life, but her most recent health scare is one she hopes to overcome quickly. On Thursday, Smart shared on her Instagram that she's recuperating from heart surgery and encouraged followers to follow her on Twitter and Facebook for further updates.

Smart’s appearance at SAG Awards

Jean Smart, who stars as Deborah Vance on the HBO Max comedy Hacks, was unable to attend Sunday's SAG Awards after she revealed she had recently undergone heart surgery. However, her co-stars sent her best wishes via social media during her recovery period: Johnny Sibilly, Meg Stalter and Mark Indelicato left heart emojis on her Instagram post while Kaitlin Olson also showed some love on the actress' behalf.

On Thursday, Smart shared on her official Instagram that she had undergone a successful heart procedure. This news coincided with American Heart Month which began February 1.

She did not disclose the type of surgery she underwent, but indicated it was successful and she is "on the mend." In an Instagram post, Smart noted that her experience should serve as a cautionary tale for others facing health challenges.

Her Instagram post was accompanied by two photographs, one of which shows her smiling and holding her baby daughter. The other image features her husband Richard Gilliland alongside a rose garden in the background.

Smart is seen wearing a floral dress with white blouse and tan jacket. She stands tall and statuesque, sporting blue eyes, long dark hair, and full makeup on her face.

Born in 1951 in Seattle, Washington, Smart earned her bachelor's degree from the University of Washington after graduating from Ballard High School. Additionally, she earned a master's in fine arts.

Smart has been an actor for decades, appearing in several popular TV series such as Frasier (2000-01), 24 (2001-07) and Samantha Who? (2007-09).

She earned several Emmy nominations for her roles on those shows, as well as for her performances in the musical comedy A Christmas Story (2003), crime drama Guinevere (2001), cult classic The Yearling (1994) and romantic drama Audrey's Rain (2003).

After her time on the NBC sitcom Frasier, Smart went on to star in several other series like action drama 24, family comedy Center of the Universe (2004) and animated program Kim Possible (2002).

Smart’s SAG Award win

On Sunday, Jean Smart won the SAG Award for Best Actress in a Comedy Series; unfortunately she was unable to attend due to her health condition. Fortunately, her Hacks co-star and longtime friend Chris McDonald took the stage and accepted on her behalf.

On Thursday, Smart shared on her official Instagram account that she recently underwent a heart procedure and is doing well. Fortunately, her castmates and fellow nominees are keeping her in their thoughts.

Smart is no stranger to being honest about her health, having recently disclosed that she has Type-1 diabetes - which increases the risk of heart disease, which claims 697,000 Americans annually according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

On Sunday night, the SAG Awards were broadcast live from the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles. Smart joined an impressive roster of presenters that included 80 for Brady star Andrew Garfield who will receive the SAG Life Achievement Award. Additionally, veteran acting legend Sally Field received her award for her decades-long career in entertainment.

On Tuesday night, A24's Everything Everywhere All at Once took home three out of four film categories, taking home both Outstanding Ensemble and Best Supporting Actor awards. Michelle Yeoh also won the Female Actor in a Leading Role category for her role in the movie; Ke Huy Quan and Jamie Lee Curtis each collected individual awards as well.

This marks the third consecutive year A24's films have won a major award at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, honoring the year's top actors and actresses. Furthermore, this marks Taron Egerton's second lead actor win for A24; his win for Black Bird last year also cemented their place among top contenders.

On Sunday night, the 29th annual SAG Awards took place and featured both newcomers and returning stars like Sally Field. As part of its first-ever Life Achievement Award presentation to Field - who has earned numerous accolades throughout her career - viewers were treated to an evening that truly celebrated all that she has accomplished.

Before the SAG Awards, we asked our forum posters their opinion on this year's winners. Some were thrilled to see some new faces while others found the nominations more surprising than expected.

Bank of Korea Holds Rate For First Time in a Year Amid Risks to Economy

For the first time in a year, the Bank of Korea held its base rate. This move stems from concerns that global growth will slow and the euro zone debt crisis continues to drag on.

The BoK's primary monetary policy objective is price stability, which it strives to achieve by keeping inflation near its 2.0% target. Furthermore, it pays close attention to financial stability in order to safeguard the economy against shocks.

The Central Bank’s Monetary Policy

The central bank's monetary policy is the actions and communication it uses to control the money supply. This helps prevent inflation, reduce unemployment, and promote moderate long-term interest rates.

Monetary policy helps manage a nation's economic growth and encourages consumer spending. It also helps mitigate risks in the financial system that could cause a recession or other economic setback.

Based on economic conditions, central banks can choose either expansionary or contractionary monetary policy. Expansionary monetary policy increases money and credit that they issue, stimulating economic growth.

Contractionary monetary policy reduces the amount of money and credit a central bank can issue, helping to control inflation and keep the economy stable. They use various tools for this purpose such as open market operations (OMOs), altering interest rates, and altering bank reserve requirements.

OMOs (open market transactions) are the primary tool that central banks use to control the money supply. When they want to lower interest rates, the central bank purchases bonds on the open market; conversely, when it wants to raise rates, it sells them on the same marketplace.

The Federal Reserve, America's central bank, uses monetary policy to control inflation, keep unemployment low and stimulate economic growth. Congress has given them two co-equal goals for this policy: maximum employment and stable prices - meaning low and steady inflation rates.

Inflation is a measure of how much prices for goods and services have gone up over time. It serves as an important barometer of economic health, helping determine whether central banks will raise or lower interest rates in the future.

Since the global financial crisis, many countries have implemented a macroprudential framework to identify and reduce risks to their overall financial system. The primary purpose of such an arrangement is to reduce the likelihood that shocks to credit markets or other financial services will disrupt them.

Inflation

Inflation is an increase in the prices of goods and services that tends to reduce purchasing power and slow economic growth. It is measured by the consumer price index (CPI), which measures prices across a basket of household-purchased items.

High inflation can be detrimental to economic growth, leading to lower incomes, higher interest rates and slower overall economic expansion. It also makes people hesitant to invest their money or put effort into creating products or processes that would raise living standards for all.

Inflation can be divided into two categories: "core" or "core-plus," and "cost-push" or "supply shock." Core-plus inflation occurs when increases in production costs lead to increases in final goods and services prices. This could be caused by factors like labor or energy costs increases, weak demand conditions, trade imbalances or natural disasters.

Inflation can have a major economic impact by making credit more expensive for many consumers and decreasing their capacity to borrow. This in turn decreases credit demand, ultimately damaging the economy.

Another significant effect of inflation is that it causes stock markets to experience price volatility and swings, potentially damaging investors' returns. Inflation can be caused by various factors such as natural disasters, high oil and gas prices, trade imbalances and other global supply-side shocks.

In the past, low inflation rates have been linked to economic expansion. On the other hand, high inflation rates can hinder progress and cause investors to turn away from stocks of companies most susceptible to price increases.

The long-term economic performance of an economy is determined by its monetary policy to control inflation. A low but stable inflation rate can boost government credibility and inspire confidence in household and business spending, spurring investment and growth.

Monetary policy that is too tight or loose can encourage rapid inflation, potentially leading to an economic slowdown. Therefore, the Bank of Korea will exercise caution when using its tools of monetary policy management in order to maintain an inflationary target.

Economic Growth

On Thursday, the Bank of Korea kept its benchmark rate steady for the first time in a year as it battled an economy in decline. This decision signaled growing uncertainty surrounding both their aggressive monetary tightening policy and rate increases going forward.

The Bank of Korea, which has raised its key interest rate seven times in a year to combat inflation, also revised its economic growth forecasts for this year and next while cutting projections for 2022 and 2023. Now they predict the economy will expand at an annualized rate of 4 percent this year and 3 percent in 2022, down from their earlier prediction of 4.5 percent growth.

Despite a softer economic outlook, the BOK still projects inflation to remain moderate this year and raises its forecast for next year from 1.5 percent to 2 percent. Their policy shift is part of an international effort by central banks to reduce stimulus from the pandemic era in order to contain rapidly rising inflation and large financial imbalances.

Although the overall economic outlook remains positive, some analysts anticipate further rate increases in the coming months to help control prices. A poll of 30 economists conducted by Reuters suggests the bank will raise its interest rate by 50 basis points within six months, according to this forecast.

As the economy continues its recovery from a recession, it is essential for the bank to remember that inflation expectations among consumers remain high. Furthermore, multiple risks such as rising oil prices and public service charges could further escalate prices in coming months.

Therefore, it is imperative for the bank to ensure its monetary policy remains focused on price stability while also monitoring external factors like the Fed's rate hike cycle and geopolitical tensions in Ukraine.

The bank boasts a healthy reserve position, with an ample stock of FX reserves to absorb any potential liquidity shortfalls from import payments or foreign currency debt financing needs as well as to diversify its portfolio to prevent portfolio outflows. As of February 2022, these FX reserves totaled $461.8 billion.

Financial Markets

On Thursday, the Bank of Korea raised its holding rate for the first time in over a year as it seeks to rein in rising household debt and inflation. This followed last year's record hike in base rate that was spurred by concerns over COVID-19 pandemic fears and continued strong growth.

The announcement comes as financial markets across Asia are being shaken by an increase in longer-dated gilt yields and currency volatility. This has been compounded by China's intervention to support its own currency, as well as interventions by Japan's and the United States' central banks into their respective Treasury markets.

Despite this, the Bank of Korea has been able to ease liquidity conditions and reduce market volatility by increasing its supply of reserves, taking advantage of its currency swap arrangement with the US Federal Reserve, and selling a net $5.9 billion worth in reserves during the first quarter 2020 to improve foreign currency liquidity. Furthermore, it has increased the volume of its bank intermediated lending support facility for small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as increasing credit to households.

When it comes to monetary policy, the Bank of Korea employs a flexible inflation targeting system that sets an inflation target over time and then implements appropriate monetary and credit policies according to that target. This allows the central bank to set an inflation target within reasonable ranges of years while monitoring actual performance in order to guarantee price stability.

Financial liberalization in Korea has some risks associated with it, Park and Song warn. These include potential volatility in interest rates as domestic and external capital inflows increase, as well as the likelihood that as Korean banks expand overseas they must deal with different operating environments, regulatory frameworks, and potential hazards.

The Bank of Korea must be mindful of the potential risks that can result from these factors when implementing monetary and credit policies in the future. It should exercise exceptional vigilance when it comes to bank regulation during financial liberalization, conducting ex-ante year-round supervision by collecting material related to management statuses at financial institutions and inspecting them as necessary. Moreover, strong incentives should be provided for internal and external disclosure by firms to regulatory authorities as well as their counterparts abroad.