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.

The 1st Daytime Emmy Awards ceremony was held in 1974, with Elizabeth Hubbard receiving the award for her role as Althea Davis on The Doctors. The award has undergone several name changes, originally honoring actresses in leading and supporting roles. Following the introduction of a new category in 1979, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, the award's name was altered to Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series, before changing once again, to its current title, years later. The awards ceremony was not aired on television in 1983 and 1984, having been criticized for voting integrity. In 1985, another category was introduced: Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series; one criterion for this category was altered, requiring all actresses to be aged 26 or above.

Since its inception, the award has been given to 28 actresses. 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. Susan Flannery and Kim Zimmer have since received four wins each. Susan Lucci has one win from 21 nominations – the most nominations of any actress in the category. 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. This milestone follows Debbi Morgan's nomination in 2009, where she became the first Black woman nominated in the category. 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.

Winners and nominees

Table key

‡	Indicates the winner

1970s

Year	Actress	Program	Role	Network	Ref.
1974 (1st)	Elizabeth Hubbard ‡	The Doctors	Althea Davis	NBC
	Rachel Ames	General Hospital	Audrey Hardy	ABC
	Mary Fickett	All My Children	Ruth Martin	ABC
	Mary Stuart	Search for Tomorrow	Joanne Vincente	CBS
1975 (2nd)	Susan Flannery ‡	Days of Our Lives	Laura Horton	NBC
	Rachel Ames	General Hospital	Audrey Hardy	ABC
	Susan Seaforth Hayes	Days of Our Lives	Julie Banning	NBC
	Ruth Warrick	All My Children	Phoebe Tyler	ABC
1976 (3rd)	Helen Gallagher ‡	Ryan's Hope	Maeve Ryan	ABC
	Denise Alexander	General Hospital	Dr. Lesley Williams	ABC
	Susan Seaforth Hayes	Days of Our Lives	Julie Anderson	NBC
	Frances Heflin	All My Children	Mona Kane	ABC
	Mary Stuart	Search for Tomorrow	Joanne Vincente	CBS
1977 (4th)	Helen Gallagher ‡	Ryan's Hope	Maeve Ryan	ABC
	Nancy Addison	Ryan's Hope	Jillian Coleridge	ABC
	Beverlee McKinsey	Another World	Iris Carrington	NBC
	Mary Stuart	Search for Tomorrow	Joanne Vincente	CBS
	Ruth Warrick	All My Children	Phoebe Tyler	ABC
1978 (5th)	Laurie Heineman ‡	Another World	Sharlene Frame	NBC
	Mary Fickett	All My Children	Ruth Martin	ABC
	Jennifer Harmon	One Life to Live	Cathy Craig	ABC
	Susan Seaforth Hayes	Days of Our Lives	Julie Williams	NBC
	Susan Lucci	All My Children	Erica Kane	ABC
	Beverlee McKinsey	Another World	Iris Bancroft	NBC
	Victoria Wyndham	Another World	Rachel Cory	NBC
1979 (6th)	Irene Dailey ‡	Another World	Liz Matthews	NBC
	Nancy Addison	Ryan's Hope	Jill Coleridge	ABC
	Helen Gallagher	Ryan's Hope	Maeve Ryan	ABC
	Susan Seaforth Hayes	Days of Our Lives	Julie Williams	NBC
	Beverlee McKinsey	Another World	Iris Bancroft	NBC
	Victoria Wyndham	Another World	Rachel Cory	NBC

1980s

Year	Actress	Program	Role	Network	Ref.
1980 (7th)	Judith Light ‡	One Life to Live	Karen Wolek	ABC
	Julia Barr	All My Children	Brooke English	ABC
	Leslie Charleson	General Hospital	Monica Quartermaine	ABC
	Kim Hunter	The Edge of Night	Nola Madison	ABC
	Beverlee McKinsey	Another World	Iris Bancroft	NBC
	Kathleen Noone	All My Children	Ellen Dalton	ABC
1981 (8th)	Judith Light ‡	One Life to Live	Karen Wolek	ABC
	Julia Barr	All My Children	Brooke English	ABC
	Helen Gallagher	Ryan's Hope	Maeve Ryan	ABC
	Susan Lucci	All My Children	Erica Kane	ABC
	Robin Strasser	One Life to Live	Dorian Cramer Lord	ABC
1982 (9th)	Robin Strasser ‡	One Life to Live	Dorian Lord Callison	ABC
	Leslie Charleson	General Hospital	Monica Quartermaine	ABC
	Ann Flood	The Edge of Night	Nancy Pollock	ABC
	Sharon Gabet	The Edge of Night	Raven Whitney	ABC
	Susan Lucci	All My Children	Erica Kane	ABC
1983 (10th)	Dorothy Lyman ‡	All My Children	Opal Gardner	ABC
	Leslie Charleson	General Hospital	Monica Quartermaine	ABC
	Susan Lucci	All My Children	Erica Kane	ABC
	Erika Slezak	One Life to Live	Victoria Lord Riley	ABC
	Robin Strasser	One Life to Live	Dorian Cramer Lord	ABC
1984 (11th)	Erika Slezak ‡	One Life to Live	Victoria Lord Buchanan	ABC
	Ann Flood	The Edge of Night	Nancy Pollock	ABC
	Sharon Gabet	The Edge of Night	Raven Whitney	ABC
	Deidre Hall	Days of Our Lives	Marlena Evans	NBC
	Susan Lucci	All My Children	Erica Kane	ABC
1985 (12th)	Kim Zimmer ‡	Guiding Light	Reva Shayne	CBS
	Deidre Hall	Days of Our Lives	Marlena Evans	NBC
	Susan Lucci	All My Children	Erica Kane	ABC
	Gillian Spencer	All My Children	Daisy Cortlandt	ABC
	Robin Strasser	One Life to Live	Dorian Cramer Lord	ABC
1986 (13th)	Erika Slezak ‡	One Life to Live	Victoria Lord Buchanan	ABC
	Elizabeth Hubbard	As the World Turns	Lucinda Walsh	CBS
	Susan Lucci	All My Children	Erica Kane	ABC
	Peggy McCay	Days of Our Lives	Caroline Brady	NBC
	Kim Zimmer	Guiding Light	Reva Shayne	CBS
1987 (14th)	Kim Zimmer ‡	Guiding Light	Reva Shayne	CBS
	Elizabeth Hubbard	As the World Turns	Lucinda Walsh	CBS
	Susan Lucci	All My Children	Erica Kane	ABC
	Frances Reid	Days of Our Lives	Alice Horton	NBC
	Marcy Walker	Santa Barbara	Eden Capwell	NBC
1988 (15th)	Helen Gallagher ‡	Ryan's Hope	Maeve Ryan	ABC
	Elizabeth Hubbard	As the World Turns	Lucinda Walsh	CBS
	Susan Lucci	All My Children	Erica Kane	ABC
	Erika Slezak	One Life to Live	Victoria Lord Buchanan	ABC
	Marcy Walker	Santa Barbara	Eden Capwell	NBC
1989 (16th)	Marcy Walker ‡	Santa Barbara	Eden Capwell	NBC
	Jeanne Cooper	The Young and the Restless	Katherine Chancellor	CBS
	Elizabeth Hubbard	As the World Turns	Lucinda Walsh	CBS
	Susan Lucci	All My Children	Erica Kane	ABC

1990s

Year	Actress	Program	Role	Network	Ref.
1990 (17th)	Kim Zimmer ‡	Guiding Light	Reva Shayne	CBS
	Jeanne Cooper	The Young and the Restless	Katherine Chancellor	CBS
	Elizabeth Hubbard	As the World Turns	Lucinda Walsh	CBS
	Finola Hughes	General Hospital	Anna Devane	ABC
	Susan Lucci	All My Children	Erica Kane	ABC
1991 (18th)	Finola Hughes ‡	General Hospital	Anna Devane	ABC
	Julia Barr	All My Children	Brooke English	ABC
	Jeanne Cooper	The Young and the Restless	Katherine Chancellor	CBS
	Elizabeth Hubbard	As the World Turns	Lucinda Walsh	CBS
	Susan Lucci	All My Children	Erica Kane	ABC
1992 (19th)	Erika Slezak ‡	One Life to Live	Victoria Lord Buchanan	ABC
	Jeanne Cooper	The Young and the Restless	Katherine Chancellor	CBS
	Elizabeth Hubbard	As the World Turns	Lucinda Walsh	CBS
	Susan Lucci	All My Children	Erica Kane	ABC
	Jessica Tuck	One Life to Live	Megan Gordon Harrison	ABC
1993 (20th)	Linda Dano ‡	Another World	Felicia Gallant	NBC
	Julia Barr	All My Children	Brooke English	ABC
	Ellen Dolan	As the World Turns	Margo Hughes	CBS
	Maeve Kinkead	Guiding Light	Vanessa Chamberlain	CBS
	Susan Lucci	All My Children	Erica Kane	ABC
1994 (21st)	Hillary B. Smith ‡	One Life to Live	Nora Hanen Gannon	ABC
	Julia Barr	All My Children	Brooke English	ABC
	Linda Dano	Another World	Felicia Gallant	NBC
	Fiona Hutchison	Guiding Light	Jenna Bradshaw	CBS
	Kathleen Widdoes	As the World Turns	Emma Snyder	CBS
1995 (22nd)	Erika Slezak ‡	One Life to Live	Victoria Lord Carpenter	ABC
	Leslie Charleson	General Hospital	Monica Quartermaine	ABC
	Marj Dusay	Guiding Light	Alexandra Spaulding	CBS
	Maeve Kinkead	Guiding Light	Vanessa Chamberlain	CBS
	Susan Lucci	All My Children	Erica Kane	ABC
1996 (23rd)	Erika Slezak ‡	One Life to Live	Victoria Lord Carpenter	ABC
	Jensen Buchanan	Another World	Vicky Hudson	NBC
	Linda Dano	Another World	Felicia Gallant	NBC
	Susan Lucci	All My Children	Erica Kane	ABC
	Jess Walton	The Young and the Restless	Jill Abbott	CBS
1997 (24th)	Jess Walton ‡	The Young and the Restless	Jill Abbott	CBS
	Jensen Buchanan	Another World	Vicky Hudson	NBC
	Genie Francis	General Hospital	Laura Spencer	ABC
	Susan Lucci	All My Children	Erica Kane	ABC
1998 (25th)	Cynthia Watros ‡	Guiding Light	Annie Dutton	CBS
	Eileen Davidson	Days of Our Lives	Kristen Blake	NBC
	Susan Lucci	All My Children	Erica Kane	ABC
	Jacklyn Zeman	General Hospital	Bobbie Spencer	ABC
	Kim Zimmer	Guiding Light	Reva Shayne	CBS
1999 (26th)	Susan Lucci ‡	All My Children	Erica Kane	ABC
	Jeanne Cooper	The Young and the Restless	Katherine Chancellor	CBS
	Elizabeth Hubbard	As the World Turns	Lucinda Walsh	CBS
	Melody Thomas Scott	The Young and the Restless	Nikki Newman	CBS
	Kim Zimmer	Guiding Light	Reva Shayne	CBS

2000s

Year	Actress	Program	Role	Network	Ref.
2000 (27th)	Susan Flannery ‡	The Bold and the Beautiful	Stephanie Forrester	CBS
	Jeanne Cooper	The Young and the Restless	Katherine Chancellor	CBS
	Finola Hughes	All My Children	Alex Devane	ABC
	Hillary B. Smith	One Life to Live	Nora Hanen	ABC
	Jess Walton	The Young and the Restless	Jill Abbott	CBS
2001 (28th)	Martha Byrne ‡	As the World Turns	Lily Walsh Snyder / Rose D'Angelo	CBS
	Julia Barr	All My Children	Brooke English	ABC
	Susan Flannery	The Bold and the Beautiful	Stephanie Forrester	CBS
	Susan Lucci	All My Children	Erica Kane	ABC
	Marcy Walker	All My Children	Liza Colby	ABC
2002 (29th)	Susan Flannery ‡	The Bold and the Beautiful	Stephanie Forrester	CBS
	Martha Byrne	As the World Turns	Lily Walsh Snyder / Rose D'Angelo	CBS
	Finola Hughes	All My Children	Alex Devane / Anna Devane	ABC
	Susan Lucci	All My Children	Erica Kane	ABC
	Colleen Zenk Pinter	As the World Turns	Barbara Ryan	CBS
2003 (30th)	Susan Flannery ‡	The Bold and the Beautiful	Stephanie Forrester	CBS
	Eileen Davidson	The Young and the Restless	Ashley Abbott	CBS
	Nancy Lee Grahn	General Hospital	Alexis Davis	ABC
	Michelle Stafford	The Young and the Restless	Phyllis Summers Abbott	CBS
	Kim Zimmer	Guiding Light	Reva Shayne Lewis	CBS
2004 (31st)	Michelle Stafford ‡	The Young and the Restless	Phyllis Summers Abbott	CBS
	Tamara Braun	General Hospital	Carly Corinthos	ABC
	Nancy Lee Grahn	General Hospital	Alexis Davis	ABC
	Maura West	As the World Turns	Carly Snyder	CBS
	Kim Zimmer	Guiding Light	Reva Shayne Lewis	CBS
2005 (32nd)	Erika Slezak ‡	One Life to Live	Victoria Lord Davidson	ABC
	Martha Byrne	As the World Turns	Lily Walsh Snyder	CBS
	Kassie DePaiva	One Life to Live	Blair Cramer	ABC
	Susan Flannery	The Bold and the Beautiful	Stephanie Forrester	CBS
	Nancy Lee Grahn	General Hospital	Alexis Davis	ABC
	Juliet Mills	Passions	Tabitha Lenox	NBC
	Michelle Stafford	The Young and the Restless	Phyllis Summers Abbott	CBS
	Kim Zimmer	Guiding Light	Reva Shayne Lewis	CBS
2006 (33rd)	Kim Zimmer ‡	Guiding Light	Reva Shayne Lewis	CBS
	Bobbie Eakes	All My Children	Krystal Carey	ABC
	Beth Ehlers	Guiding Light	Harley Cooper	CBS
	Susan Flannery	The Bold and the Beautiful	Stephanie Forrester	CBS
	Kelly Monaco	General Hospital	Sam McCall	ABC
2007 (34th)	Maura West ‡	As the World Turns	Carly Snyder	CBS
	Crystal Chappell	Guiding Light	Olivia Spencer	CBS
	Jeanne Cooper	The Young and the Restless	Katherine Chancellor	CBS
	Michelle Stafford	The Young and the Restless	Phyllis Summers Newman	CBS
	Kim Zimmer	Guiding Light	Reva Shayne Lewis	CBS
2008 (35th)	Jeanne Cooper ‡	The Young and the Restless	Katherine Chancellor	CBS
	Crystal Chappell	Guiding Light	Olivia Spencer	CBS
	Nicole Forester	Guiding Light	Cassie Layne Winslow	CBS
	Michelle Stafford	The Young and the Restless	Phyllis Summers Newman	CBS
	Maura West	As the World Turns	Carly Tenney	CBS
2009 (36th)	Susan Haskell ‡	One Life to Live	Dr. Marty Saybrooke	ABC
	Jeanne Cooper	The Young and the Restless	Katherine Chancellor	CBS
	Susan Flannery	The Bold and the Beautiful	Stephanie Forrester	CBS
	Debbi Morgan	All My Children	Angie Hubbard	ABC
	Maura West	As the World Turns	Carly Tenney	CBS

2010s

Year	Actress	Program	Role	Network	Ref.
2010 (37th)	Maura West ‡	As the World Turns	Carly Tenney	CBS
	Sarah Brown	General Hospital	Claudia Zacchara Corinthos	ABC
	Crystal Chappell	Guiding Light	Olivia Spencer	CBS
	Bobbie Eakes	All My Children	Krystal Carey	ABC
	Michelle Stafford	The Young and the Restless	Phyllis Summers Newman	CBS
2011 (38th)	Laura Wright ‡	General Hospital	Carly Corinthos Jacks	ABC
	Susan Flannery	The Bold and the Beautiful	Stephanie Forrester	CBS
	Alicia Minshew	All My Children	Kendall Slater	ABC
	Debbi Morgan	All My Children	Angie Hubbard	ABC
	Michelle Stafford	The Young and the Restless	Phyllis Summers Newman	CBS
	Colleen Zenk	As the World Turns	Barbara Ryan	CBS
2012 (39th)	Heather Tom ‡	The Bold and the Beautiful	Katie Logan Spencer	CBS
	Crystal Chappell	Days of Our Lives	Dr. Carly Manning	NBC
	Debbi Morgan	All My Children	Angie Hubbard	ABC
	Erika Slezak	One Life to Live	Victoria Lord	ABC
	Laura Wright	General Hospital	Carly Corinthos Jacks	ABC
2013 (40th)	Heather Tom ‡	The Bold and the Beautiful	Katie Logan Spencer	CBS
	Susan Flannery	The Bold and the Beautiful	Stephanie Forrester	CBS
	Peggy McCay	Days of Our Lives	Caroline Brady	NBC
	Michelle Stafford	The Young and the Restless	Phyllis Summers Newman	CBS
2014 (41st)	Eileen Davidson ‡	Days of Our Lives	Kristen DiMera	NBC
	Katherine Kelly Lang	The Bold and the Beautiful	Brooke Logan	CBS
	Heather Tom	The Bold and the Beautiful	Katie Logan	CBS
	Arianne Zucker	Days of Our Lives	Nicole Walker	NBC
2015 (42nd)	Maura West ‡	General Hospital	Ava Jerome	ABC
	Peggy McCay	Days of Our Lives	Caroline Brady	NBC
	Alison Sweeney	Days of Our Lives	Sami Brady DiMera	NBC
	Gina Tognoni	The Young and the Restless	Phyllis Summers	CBS
	Laura Wright	General Hospital	Carly Corinthos	ABC
2016 (43rd)	Mary Beth Evans ‡	Days of Our Lives	Kayla Brady	NBC
	Tracey E. Bregman	The Young and the Restless	Lauren Fenmore Baldwin	CBS
	Kassie DePaiva	Days of Our Lives	Eve Larson	NBC
	Finola Hughes	General Hospital	Anna Devane	ABC
	Maura West	General Hospital	Ava Jerome	ABC
2017 (44th)	Gina Tognoni ‡	The Young and the Restless	Phyllis Summers	CBS
	Nancy Lee Grahn	General Hospital	Alexis Davis	ABC
	Heather Tom	The Bold and the Beautiful	Katie Logan	CBS
	Jess Walton	The Young and the Restless	Jill Abbott	CBS
	Laura Wright	General Hospital	Carly Corinthos	ABC
2018 (45th)	Eileen Davidson ‡	The Young and the Restless	Ashley Abbott	CBS
	Nancy Lee Grahn	General Hospital	Alexis Davis	ABC
	Marci Miller	Days of Our Lives	Abigail Deveraux	NBC
	Maura West	General Hospital	Ava Jerome	ABC
	Laura Wright	General Hospital	Carly Corinthos	ABC
2019 (46th)	Jacqueline MacInnes Wood ‡	The Bold and the Beautiful	Steffy Forrester	CBS
	Marci Miller	Days of Our Lives	Abigail Deveraux	NBC
	Heather Tom	The Bold and the Beautiful	Katie Logan	CBS
	Maura West	General Hospital	Ava Jerome	ABC
	Laura Wright	General Hospital	Carly Corinthos	ABC

2020s

Year	Actress	Program	Role	Network	Ref.
2020 (47th)	Heather Tom ‡	The Bold and the Beautiful	Katie Logan	CBS
	Finola Hughes	General Hospital	Anna Devane / Alex Marick	ABC
	Katherine Kelly Lang	The Bold and the Beautiful	Brooke Logan	CBS
	Maura West	General Hospital	Ava Jerome	ABC
	Arianne Zucker	Days of Our Lives	Nicole Walker	NBC
2021 (48th)	Jacqueline MacInnes Wood ‡	The Bold and the Beautiful	Steffy Forrester Finnegan	CBS
	Melissa Claire Egan	The Young and the Restless	Chelsea Lawson	CBS
	Genie Francis	General Hospital	Laura Webber Collins	ABC
	Nancy Lee Grahn	General Hospital	Alexis Davis	ABC
	Finola Hughes	General Hospital	Anna Devane / Alex Marick	ABC
2022 (49th)
	Mishael Morgan ‡	The Young and the Restless	Amanda Sinclair	CBS
	Marci Miller	Days of Our Lives	Abigail Deveraux DiMera	NBC
	Cynthia Watros	General Hospital	Nina Reeves	ABC
	Laura Wright	General Hospital	Carly Corinthos	ABC
	Arianne Zucker	Days of Our Lives	Nicole Walker	NBC
2023 (50th)
	Jacqueline MacInnes Wood ‡	The Bold and the Beautiful	Steffy Forrester Finnegan	CBS
	Sharon Case	The Young and the Restless	Sharon Newman	CBS
	Melissa Claire Egan	The Young and the Restless	Chelsea Lawson	CBS
	Finola Hughes	General Hospital	Anna Devane	ABC
	Michelle Stafford	The Young and the Restless	Phyllis Summers	CBS
2024 (51st)
	Michelle Stafford ‡	The Young and the Restless	Phyllis Summers	CBS
	Tamara Braun	Days of Our Lives	Ava Vitali	NBC
	Finola Hughes	General Hospital	Anna Devane	ABC
	Katherine Kelly Lang	The Bold and the Beautiful	Brooke Logan	CBS
	Annika Noelle	The Bold and the Beautiful	Hope Logan Spencer	CBS
	Cynthia Watros	General Hospital	Nina Reeves	ABC

Multiple wins and nominations

Series with most awards

Wins	Series
11	One Life to Live
9	The Bold and the Beautiful
7	The Young and the Restless
5	Guiding Light
3	Another World
	As the World Turns
	Days of our Lives
	General Hospital
	Ryan's Hope
2	All My Children
1	The Doctors
	Santa Barbara