Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series

The Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series is an award presented annually by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) and Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS).

It is given to honor an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role while working within the daytime drama industry.

One Life to Live is the show with the most awarded actresses, with a total of eleven, including Erika Slezak and her record six wins.

For her portrayal of Amanda Sinclair on The Young and the Restless, Mishael Morgan made Daytime Emmy history by winning the award in 2022, making her the first Black actress to receive this honor.

As of the 2024 ceremony, Michelle Stafford is the most recent winner in this category, for her portrayal of Phyllis Summers on The Young and the Restless.

A woman with short hair, wearing a blouse.
Elizabeth Hubbard was the first winner, for her role as Althea Davis on The Doctors . She was then later nominated eight times for her role as Lucinda Walsh on As the World Turns .
A woman with short grey hair, wearing a grey and black outfit.
Susan Flannery won in 1975 for her role as Laura Horton on Days of Our Lives . She later received three wins, from nine nominations, for her role as Stephanie Forrester on The Bold and the Beautiful .
A woman with short blond hair, wearing a white shirt with an orange sweater.
Susan Seaforth Hayes has been nominated four times for her role as Julie Olson Williams on Days of Our Lives .
A woman with brunette hair, wearing a shirt with patterns.
Helen Gallagher was nominated five times, and won three times, for her role as Maeve Ryan on Ryan's Hope .
A woman with short blond hair, wearing a blue outfit.
Judith Light won in 1980 and 1981 for her role as Karen Wolek on One Life to Live .
A woman with blond hair, wearing a top.
Leslie Charleson has been nominated four times for her role as Monica Quartermaine on General Hospital .
A woman with brunette hair, wearing a pattern scarf with a blouse.
Robin Strasser was nominated four times, and won in 1982, for her role as Dorian Cramer on One Life to Live .
A woman with blond hair, wearing top also accompanied with a man wearing a suite.
Erika Slezak (left) has received the most wins, for her role as Victoria Lord on One Life to Live .
A woman with blond hair, wearing button shirt.
Peggy McCay has been nominated three times for her role as Caroline Brady on Days of Our Lives .
A women with brunette hair, wearing blue sweater with white pokadots.
Genie Francis received two nominations (1997 and 2021) for her role as Laura Spencer on General Hospital .
A woman with long brunette hair, wearing a grey top also with a necklace.
Finola Hughes has been nominated four times, and won in 1991, for her work on General Hospital . She was later nominated twice again, for her work on All My Children .
A woman with short hair, wearing shirt, while holding the bars of a fictional prison.
Julia Barr has been nominated six times for her role as Brooke English on All My Children .
A woman with brunette hair, wearing a white T-shirt.
Cynthia Watros won in 1998, for her role as Annie Dutton on Guiding Light .
A women with dark hair, wearing a black top
Nancy Lee Grahn has been nominated six times (2003, 2004, 2005, 2017, 2018, and 2021) for her role as Alexis Davis on General Hospital .
A woman with red hair, wearing a black top.
Michelle Stafford was nominated eight times, and won in 2004, for her role as Phyllis Summers on The Young and the Restless .
A woman with brunette hair, wearing a silver, white and turquoise outfit.
Crystal Chappell was nominated three times for her role as Olivia Spencer on Guiding Light . She was later nominated once again for her role as Carly Manning in 2012 on Days of Our Lives .
A woman with brunette hair, wearing a button shirt.
Jeanne Cooper has been nominated nine times, and won in 2008, for her role as Katherine Chancellor on The Young and the Restless .
A woman with red hair, wearing a red outfit.
Susan Haskell won in 2009 for her role as Marty Saybrooke on One Life to Live .
A woman with brunette hair, wearing blue sweater with white polkadots.
Maura West (left) won twice, from five nominations, for her role as Carly Tenney on As the World Turns . She was nominated five times, and won in 2015, for her role as Ava Jerome on General Hospital
A woman with short blond hair, wearing a sparkly brown dress.
Laura Wright won once in 2011, and has been nominated a total of six times, for her role as Carly Corinthos Jacks on General Hospital .
A woman with red hair, wearing a blue outfit.
Heather Tom won three (2012, 2013, and 2020) out of her five nominations for her role as Katie Logan on The Bold and the Beautiful .
A woman with blonde hair, wearing a black outfit.
Eileen Davidson was nominated in 1998, and won in 2014, for her role on Days of Our Lives . She was also nominated in 2003, and won in 2018, for her role on The Young and the Restless .
A woman with brunette hair, wearing a beige outfit.
Jacqueline MacInnes Wood won in 2019, 2021 and 2023 for her role as Steffy Forrester on The Bold and the Beautiful .
A woman with black hair, wearing a yellow outfit.
Mishael Morgan won in 2022 for her role as Amanda Sinclair on The Young and the Restless , becoming the first Black Woman to win in the category.
A woman with brunette hair, wearing red outfit.
Susan Lucci has received the most nominations in this category, with a total of twenty-one for her portrayal of Erica Kane on All My Children , winning once in 1999.