Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
This is a list of winners and nominees of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. Beginning with the 18th Primetime Emmy Awards, leading actresses in drama have competed alone. However, these dramatic performances included actresses from miniseries, telefilms, and guest performers competing against main cast competitors. Such instances are marked below:
Winners and nominations
1950s
1960s
1970s
1980s
1990s
| Year |
Actress |
Program |
Role |
Episode |
Network |
1989–90
(42nd) |
| Patricia Wettig |
thirtysomething |
Nancy Krieger-Weston |
"The Other Shoe" |
ABC |
| Dana Delany |
China Beach |
Colleen McMurphy |
"How to Stay Alive in Vietnam" |
ABC |
| Jill Eikenberry |
L.A. Law |
Ann Kelsey |
"Lie Down and Deliver" |
NBC |
| Angela Lansbury |
Murder, She Wrote |
Jessica Fletcher |
"How to Make a Killing Without Really Trying" |
CBS |
| Piper Laurie |
Twin Peaks |
Catherine Martell |
"The Last Evening" |
ABC |
1990–91
(43rd) |
| Patricia Wettig |
thirtysomething |
Nancy Krieger-Weston |
"Guns and Roses" |
ABC |
| Dana Delany |
China Beach |
Colleen McMurphy |
"Fever" |
ABC |
| Sharon Gless |
The Trials of Rosie O'Neill |
Rosie O'Neill |
"When I'm 44" |
CBS |
| Angela Lansbury |
Murder, She Wrote |
Jessica Fletcher |
"Thursday's Child" |
1991–92
(44th) |
| Dana Delany |
China Beach |
Colleen McMurphy |
"Through and Through" |
ABC |
| Sharon Gless |
The Trials of Rosie O'Neill |
Rosie O'Neill |
"Heartbreak Hotel" |
CBS |
| Shirley Knight § |
Law & Order |
Melanie Currants |
"The Wages of Love" |
NBC |
| Angela Lansbury |
Murder, She Wrote |
Jessica Fletcher |
"Night Fears" |
CBS |
| Kate Nelligan § |
Road to Avonlea |
Sydney Carver |
"After the Honeymoon" |
Disney |
| Regina Taylor |
I'll Fly Away |
Lilly Harper |
"Coming Home" |
NBC |
1992–93
(45th) |
| Kathy Baker |
Picket Fences |
Dr. Jill Brock |
"Thanksgiving" |
CBS |
| Swoosie Kurtz |
Sisters |
Alex Reed |
"Mirror, Mirror" |
NBC |
| Angela Lansbury |
Murder, She Wrote |
Jessica Fletcher |
"Night of the Coyote" |
CBS |
| Regina Taylor |
I'll Fly Away |
Lilly Harper |
"Comfort and Joy" |
NBC |
| Janine Turner |
Northern Exposure |
Maggie "Mary Margaret" O'Connell |
"Love's Labour Mislaid" |
CBS |
1993–94
(46th) |
| Sela Ward |
Sisters |
Teddy Reed |
"Land of the Lost Children" |
NBC |
| Kathy Baker |
Picket Fences |
Dr. Jill Brock |
"Guns 'R' Us" |
CBS |
| Swoosie Kurtz |
Sisters |
Alex Reed |
"Protective Measures" |
NBC |
| Angela Lansbury |
Murder, She Wrote |
Jessica Fletcher |
"A Killing in Cork" |
CBS |
| Jane Seymour |
Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman |
Michaela "Dr. Mike" Quinn |
"Best Friends" |
1994–95
(47th) |
| Kathy Baker |
Picket Fences |
Dr. Jill Brock |
"Frogman Returns" |
CBS |
| Claire Danes |
My So-Called Life |
Angela Chase |
"Pilot" |
ABC |
| Angela Lansbury |
Murder, She Wrote |
Jessica Fletcher |
"Dear Deadly" |
CBS |
| Sherry Stringfield |
ER |
Dr. Susan Lewis |
"Motherhood" |
NBC |
| Cicely Tyson |
Sweet Justice |
Carrie Grace Battle |
"In the Name of the Sun" |
1995–96
(48th) |
| Kathy Baker |
Picket Fences |
Dr. Jill Brock |
"Bottled" |
CBS |
| Gillian Anderson |
The X-Files |
Dr. Dana Scully |
"Piper Maru" |
Fox |
| Christine Lahti |
Chicago Hope |
Dr. Kathryn "Kate" Austin |
"Transplanted Affection" |
CBS |
| Angela Lansbury |
Murder, She Wrote |
Jessica Fletcher |
"Death by Demographics" |
| Sherry Stringfield |
ER |
Dr. Susan Lewis |
"Take These Broken Wings" |
NBC |
1996–97
(49th) |
| Gillian Anderson |
The X-Files |
Dr. Dana Scully |
"Memento Mori" |
Fox |
| Roma Downey |
Touched by an Angel |
Monica |
"Missing in Action" |
CBS |
| Christine Lahti |
Chicago Hope |
Dr. Kathryn "Kate" Austin |
"Back to the Future" |
| Julianna Margulies |
ER |
Carol Hathaway |
"The Long Way Around" |
NBC |
| Sherry Stringfield |
Dr. Susan Lewis |
"Fear of Flying" |
1997–98
(50th) |
| Christine Lahti |
Chicago Hope |
Dr. Kathryn "Kate" Austin |
"Cabin Fever" |
CBS |
| Gillian Anderson |
The X-Files |
Dr. Dana Scully |
"All Souls" |
Fox |
| Roma Downey |
Touched by an Angel |
Monica |
"The Spirit of Liberty Moon" |
CBS |
| Julianna Margulies |
ER |
Carol Hathaway |
"Carter's Choice" |
NBC |
| Jane Seymour |
Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman |
Michaela "Dr. Mike" Quinn |
"Point Blank" |
CBS |
1998–99
(51st) |
| Edie Falco |
The Sopranos |
Carmela Soprano |
"College" |
HBO |
| Gillian Anderson |
The X-Files |
Dr. Dana Scully |
"Milagro" |
Fox |
| Lorraine Bracco |
The Sopranos |
Dr. Jennifer Melfi |
"The Legend of Tennessee Moltisanti" |
HBO |
| Christine Lahti |
Chicago Hope |
Dr. Kathryn "Kate" Austin |
"Karmic Relief" |
CBS |
| Julianna Margulies |
ER |
Carol Hathaway |
"The Storm" (Part 2) |
NBC |
1999–2000
(52nd) |
| Sela Ward |
Once and Again |
Lily Manning |
"Pilot" |
ABC |
| Lorraine Bracco |
The Sopranos |
Dr. Jennifer Melfi |
"Big Girls Don't Cry" |
HBO |
| Amy Brenneman |
Judging Amy |
Amy Gray |
"The Wee Hours" |
CBS |
| Edie Falco |
The Sopranos |
Carmela Soprano |
"Full Leather Jacket" |
HBO |
| Julianna Margulies |
ER |
Carol Hathaway |
"Great Expectations" |
NBC |
2000s
2010s
| Year |
Actress |
Program |
Role |
Episode |
Network |
2010–11
(63rd) |
| Julianna Margulies |
The Good Wife |
Alicia Florrick |
"In Sickness" |
CBS |
| Kathy Bates |
Harry's Law |
Harriet "Harry" Korn |
"Innocent Man" |
NBC |
| Connie Britton |
Friday Night Lights |
Tami Taylor |
"Always" |
The 101 Network
NBC |
| Mireille Enos |
The Killing |
Sarah Linden |
"Missing" |
AMC |
| Mariska Hargitay |
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit |
Olivia Benson |
"Rescue" |
NBC |
| Elisabeth Moss |
Mad Men |
Peggy Olson |
"The Suitcase" |
AMC |
2011–12
(64th) |
| Claire Danes |
Homeland |
Carrie Mathison |
"The Vest" |
Showtime |
| Kathy Bates |
Harry's Law |
Harriet "Harry" Korn |
"Onward and Upward" |
NBC |
| Glenn Close |
Damages |
Patty Hewes |
"I've Done Way Too Much For This Girl" |
Audience Network |
| Michelle Dockery |
Downton Abbey |
Lady Mary Crawley |
"Episode Seven" |
PBS |
| Julianna Margulies |
The Good Wife |
Alicia Florrick |
"Parenting Made Easy" |
CBS |
| Elisabeth Moss |
Mad Men |
Peggy Olson |
"The Other Woman" |
AMC |
2012–13
(65th) |
| Claire Danes |
Homeland |
Carrie Mathison |
"Q&A" |
Showtime |
| Connie Britton |
Nashville |
Rayna Jaymes |
"Pilot" |
ABC |
| Michelle Dockery |
Downton Abbey |
Lady Mary Crawley |
"Episode One" |
PBS |
| Vera Farmiga |
Bates Motel |
Norma Louise Bates |
"First You Dream, Then You Die" |
A&E |
| Elisabeth Moss |
Mad Men |
Peggy Olson |
"The Better Half" |
AMC |
| Kerry Washington |
Scandal |
Olivia Pope |
"Happy Birthday, Mr. President" |
ABC |
| Robin Wright |
House of Cards |
Claire Underwood |
"Chapter 10" |
Netflix |
2013–14
(66th) |
| Julianna Margulies |
The Good Wife |
Alicia Florrick |
"The Last Call" |
CBS |
| Lizzy Caplan |
Masters of Sex |
Virginia Johnson |
"Pilot" |
Showtime |
| Claire Danes |
Homeland |
Carrie Mathison |
"The Star" |
| Michelle Dockery |
Downton Abbey |
Lady Mary Crawley |
"Episode One" |
PBS |
| Kerry Washington |
Scandal |
Olivia Pope |
"The Fluffer" |
ABC |
| Robin Wright |
House of Cards |
Claire Underwood |
"Chapter 26" |
Netflix |
2014–15
(67th) |
|
| Viola Davis |
How to Get Away with Murder |
Annalise Keating |
"Freakin' Whack-a-Mole" |
ABC |
| Claire Danes |
Homeland |
Carrie Mathison |
"From A to B and Back Again" |
Showtime |
| Taraji P. Henson |
Empire |
Cookie Lyon |
"Pilot" |
Fox |
| Tatiana Maslany |
Orphan Black |
Sarah, Alison, Cosima, Helena, Rachel, and Krystal |
"Certain Agony of the Battlefield" |
BBC America |
| Elisabeth Moss |
Mad Men |
Peggy Olson |
"Person to Person" |
AMC |
| Robin Wright |
House of Cards |
Claire Underwood |
"Chapter 32" |
Netflix |
2015–16
(68th)
[1] |
| Tatiana Maslany |
Orphan Black |
Sarah, Alison, Cosima, Helena, Rachel, M.K., and Krystal |
"The Antisocialism of Sex" |
BBC America |
|
| Claire Danes |
Homeland |
Carrie Mathison |
"Super Powers" |
Showtime |
| Viola Davis |
How to Get Away with Murder |
Annalise Keating |
"There's My Baby" |
ABC |
| Taraji P. Henson |
Empire |
Cookie Lyon |
"Rise by Sin" |
Fox |
| Keri Russell |
The Americans |
Elizabeth Jennings |
"The Magic of David Copperfield V: The Statue of Liberty Disappears" |
FX |
| Robin Wright |
House of Cards |
Claire Underwood |
"Chapter 49" |
Netflix |
|
Multiple awards
- 4 awards
- 3 awards
|
- 2 awards
|
Multiple nominations
- 12 nominations
- 8 nominations
- 6 nominations
- 5 nominations
|
- 4 nominations
|
- 3 nominations
|
- 2 nominations
|
Notes
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Early Emmy ceremonies did not have genre specific acting categories
See also
References
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| Programs | |
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| Performance | |
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| Directing | |
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| Writing | |
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| Creative Arts |
- Casting for a Comedy Series
- Casting for a Drama Series
- Casting for a Limited Series, Movie, or Special
- Choreography
- Cinematography for a Limited Series or Movie
- Cinematography for a Multi-Camera Series
- Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series
- Cinematography for a Reality Program
- Commercial
- Costumes for a Contemporary Series, Limited Series, or Movie
- Costumes for a Period/Fantasy Series, Limited Series, or Movie
- Costumes for a Variety, Nonfiction, or Reality Programming
- Hairstyling for a Limited Series or Movie
- Hairstyling for a Multi-Camera Series or Special
- Hairstyling for a Single-Camera Series
- Individual Achievement in Animation
- Main Title Design
- Main Title Theme Music
- Makeup for a Limited Series or Movie (Non-Prosthetic)
- Makeup for a Multi-Camera Series or Special (Non-Prosthetic)
- Makeup for a Single-Camera Series (Non-Prosthetic)
- Music and Lyrics
- Music Composition for a Limited Series, Movie, or Special
- Music Composition for a Series
- Picture Editing for a Structured or Competition Reality Program
- Picture Editing for an Unstructured Reality Program
- Prosthetic Makeup for a Series, Limited Series, Movie, or Special
- Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Comedy Series
- Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Drama Series
- Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Limited Series or Movie
- Production Design for a Narrative Contemporary or Fantasy Program (One Hour or More)
- Production Design for a Narrative Program (Half-Hour or Less)
- Production Design for a Narrative Period Program (One Hour or More)
- Sound Editing for a Limited Series, Movie, or Special
- Sound Editing for a Series
- Sound Editing for Nonfiction Programming (Single or Multi-Camera)
- Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (Half-Hour) and Animation
- Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (One-Hour)
- Sound Mixing for a Limited Series or Movie
- Sound Mixing for a Variety Series or Special
- Special and Visual Effects / Special and Visual Effects in a Supporting Role
- Stunt Coordination for a Comedy Series or Variety Program
- Stunt Coordination for a Drama Series, Limited Series, or Movie
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| Retired | |
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