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The Daytime Emmy has been recognising talent across daytime TV shows since its inception in the 1970s. There are times when some actors and actresses are awarded a daytime Emmy for their exceptional performance instantly, but sometimes some actors have to wait a longer time to be recognised.
One of the popular categories of the daytime Emmy, the Outstanding Lead Actress, has awarded many iconic daily soap actresses for years. Some receive multiple wins in the leading category, while some wait for several years for it to happen to them. In this article, we have listed 7 such daytime Emmy wins in the lead actress category, who have raised eyebrows and surprised many.
Disclaimer: This article is based on the writer’s opinion. Reader discretion is advised.
7 surprising Daytime Emmy award wins for Best Lead Actress in a Drama Series
7) Jeanne Cooper
Known for portraying one of the popular characters, Katherine Chancellor, in the daily soap, The Young and the Restless, Jeanne Cooper appeared as the character for almost 40 years. Her character was popular among fans due to her complex storyline, which included her bouts of alcoholism, facelift, and the most iconic one would be her rivalry with Jill Foster.
She was first nominated for a daytime Emmy lead actress in 1989, and after almost 10 nominations, she won in 2008, which surprised many but was also a happy moment for the fans.
6) Eileen Davidson
Recognised for ending the 39-year drought in the lead actress category, Eileen Davidson won in 2014 for Days of Our Lives, making it a special win. Susan Flannery was the first actress who win in this category for Days of Our Lives in 1975.
Davidson played the character of Kristen Blake DiMera, who was raised by supervillain Stefano DiMera. She was involved with Stafano’s rival, John Black, due to Alice Horton’s efforts in making them run into each other. Additionally, she also played several other characters in the show, such as Sister Mary Moira Banks, Penelope Kent, and Susan Banks.
5) Heather Tom
Heather Tom is known for her work on and off screen, as she is also a popular theatre actor. Her work in the popular daily soaps, The Bold and the Beautiful, and The Young and the Restless has made her a multiple Daytime Emmy Award winner.
For her role as the impulsive but headstrong character, Victoria Newman, in The Young and the Restless, Tom won a Daytime Emmy Award in the Outstanding Younger Actress category. Later, she played the character of Katie Logan, Brooke’s sister, in The Bold and the Beautiful, for whom their brother, Storm, sacrificed himself to let her have his heart after being accidentally shot.
She won in both the supporting and the lead actress categories for the role, making her one of the rare actresses who have won in all three popular categories for actresses.
4) Gina Tognoni
Gina Tognoni is one of three actresses who portrayed the beloved character of Phyllis Summers in The Young and the Restless. She played the character for almost five years, for which she even gained many accolades.
After being nominated twice for her performance as Phyllis, Tognoni finally won in 2017. Since Michelle Stafford is the most celebrated Phyllis Summers, Tognoni’s win came as a surprise for many.
3) Susan Lucci
Another daytime veteran who has spent her life playing the most popular daytime character, Erica Kane from the daily soap All My Children. She was first nominated for her character in 1978.
After 18 consecutive nominations, Lucci won in 1998 in the lead actress category. Her win is one of the most celebrated, which was long overdue.
2) Mishael Morgan
By being the other half of the Devon and Hilary supercouple in the daily soap, The Young and the Restless, Mishael Morgan became one of the beloved actresses for fans. She also plays the character of Amanda Sinclair, who happens to be Hilary Curtis’s twin sister.
The role and her performance were admired by many, which led her to win a Daytime Emmy Award in 2022. The win was not a simple one, as she became the first black actress to win the lead actress category in history, which is a rare feat.
1) Michelle Stafford
The tenacious and strong-willed Phyllis Summers from The Young and the Restless was made a fan favorite character by Michelle Stafford. Her recent 2024 daytime Emmy win in the lead actress category was a surprise, even for the actress.
While her performance and her rivalry with Diane Jenkins were loved by fans, the prior year, the category of lead actress was cluttered with more outstanding actresses such as Finola Hughes and Katherine Kelly Lang, making Startford’s win more surprising.
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