What We Know About Jean Smart's Son Forrest
Jessica Wilkins Jean Smart adopted Forrest from China in 2009 with her late husband Richard Gilliland, who sadly passed away in March following a short illness (via Page Six). During her acceptance speech, for which she received a standing ovation, the actress also paid an emotional tribute to Gilliland, who died earlier this year at the age of 71.
"Before I say anything else, I have to acknowledge my late husband Richard Gilliland, who passed away six months yesterday. I would not be here without him, without his sort of putting his career on the back burner so that I could take advantage of all the wonderful opportunities that I've had," she told the star-studded audience (via People).
But beyond their dedication to each other and their careers and successes, Smart has always stressed that Gilliland was a true family man. "He was a great dad, and he made me laugh every day," Smart recently revealed to Variety. "Him passing away was just not ever even a thought. And it's changed every moment of my everyday life; every atom of my existence I feel like is altered."