The Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor 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 in honor of an actor 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 Macdonald Carey receiving the award for his portrayal of Tom Horton on Days of Our Lives. The award has undergone several name changes, originally honoring actors in leading and supporting roles. Following the introduction of a new category in 1979, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, the award's name was altered to Outstanding Actor 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 lack of integrity. In 1985, another category was introduced, Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series, one criterion for this category was altered, requiring all actors to be age 26 or younger.
Since its inception, the award has been given to 29 actors. General Hospital has the most awarded actors in this category with a total of twelve wins. In 1979, Al Freeman, Jr. became the first African-American to have garnered the award, winning for his role as Ed Hall on One Life to Live. In 2008, Anthony Geary became the actor with the most wins in the category when he won for a sixth time, surpassing David Canary's previous record. Geary went on to win again in 2012 and 2015, thus far winning on eight occasions. Peter Bergman has been nominated on 25 occasions, more than any other actor. As of the 2025 ceremony, Paul Telfer, is the most recent winner in this category for his portrayal of Xander Kiriakis on Days of Our Lives.
Winners and nominees Listed below are the winners of the award for each year, as well as the other nominees. + Table key Indicates the winner
1970s Year Actor Program Role Network 1974 (1st) Macdonald Carey Days of Our Lives Tom Horton John Beradino General Hospital Steve Hardy Peter Hansen General HospitalLee Baldwin 1975 (2nd) Macdonald Carey Days of Our Lives Tom Horton John Beradino General Hospital Steve Hardy Bill Hayes Days of Our Lives Doug Williams 1976 (3rd) Larry Haines Search for Tomorrow Stu Bergman John Beradino General Hospital Steve Hardy Macdonald Carey Days of Our Lives Tom Horton Bill Hayes Days of Our Lives Doug Williams Michael Nouri Search for Tomorrow Steve Kaslo Shepperd Strudwick One Life to LiveVictor Lord 1977 (4th)Val Dufour Search for Tomorrow John Wyatt Farley Granger One Life to Live Will Vernon Larry HainesSearch for Tomorrow Stu Bergman Larry Keith All My Children Nick Davis James Pritchett The Doctors Matt Powers 1978 (5th) James Pritchett The Doctors Matt Powers Matthew CowlesAll My Children Billy Clyde Tuggle Larry KeithAll My Children Nick Davis Michael Levin Ryan's Hope Jack Fenelli Andrew Robinson Ryan's Hope Frank Ryan Michael Storm One Life to LiveLarry Wolek 1979 (6th) Al Freeman Jr. One Life to Live Ed Hall Jed Allan Days of Our Lives Don Craig Nicholas Benedict All My ChildrenPhil Brent John Clarke Days of Our Lives Mickey Horton Joel Crothers The Edge of NightMiles Cavanaugh Michael Levin Ryan's Hope Jack Fenelli
1980s Year Actor Program Role Network 1980 (7th) Douglass Watson Another World Mac Cory John Gabriel Ryan's Hope Seneca Beaulac Michael Levin Ryan's Hope Jack Fenelli Franc Luz The Doctors John Bennett James Mitchell All My Children Palmer Cortlandt William Mooney All My Children Paul Martin 1981 (8th) Douglass Watson Another World Mac Cory Larry Bryggman As the World Turns John Dixon Henderson Forsythe As the World Turns David Stewart Anthony Geary General Hospital Luke Spencer James Mitchell All My Children Palmer Cortlandt 1982 (9th)Anthony Geary General Hospital Luke Spencer Larry Bryggman As the World Turns John DixonStuart Damon General Hospital Alan Quartermaine James Mitchell All My Children Palmer Cortlandt Richard Shoberg All My Children Tom Cudahy 1983 (10th) Robert S. Woods One Life to Live Bo Buchanan Peter Bergman All My Children Cliff Warner Stuart Damon General Hospital Alan Quartermaine Anthony Geary General Hospital Luke Spencer James Mitchell All My Children Palmer Cortlandt 1984 (11th) Larry Bryggman As the World Turns John Dixon Joel Crothers The Edge of NightMiles Cavanaugh Stuart Damon General Hospital Alan Quartermaine Terry Lester The Young and the Restless Jack Abbott Larkin Malloy The Edge of NightSchuyler Whitney James Mitchell All My Children Palmer Cortlandt 1985 (12th) Darnell Williams All My Children Jesse Hubbard Larry Bryggman As the World Turns John Dixon David Canary All My Children Adam Chandler/Stuart Chandler Terry Lester The Young and the Restless Jack Abbott James Mitchell All My Children Palmer Cortlandt 1986 (13th) David Canary All My Children Adam Chandler/Stuart Chandler Scott Bryce As the World Turns Craig Montgomery Larry Bryggman As the World Turns John Dixon Nicolas Coster Santa Barbara Lionel Lockridge Terry Lester The Young and the Restless Jack AbbottRobert S. Woods One Life to Live Bo Buchanan 1987 (14th) Larry Bryggman As the World Turns John Dixon Eric Braeden The Young and the Restless Victor Newman Scott Bryce As the World Turns Craig Montgomery Terry Lester The Young and the Restless Jack Abbott A Martinez Santa Barbara Cruz Castillo 1988 (15th) David Canary All My Children Adam Chandler/Stuart Chandler Larry Bryggman As the World Turns John Dixon Robert Gentry All My Children Ross Chandler A Martinez Santa Barbara Cruz Castillo Stephen Nichols Days of Our Lives Steve "Patch" Johnson 1989 (16th) David Canary All My Children Adam Chandler/Stuart Chandler Larry Bryggman As the World Turns John Dixon A Martinez Santa Barbara Cruz Castillo James Mitchell All My Children Palmer Cortlandt Douglass Watson Another World Mac Cory
1990s Year Actor Program Role Network 1990 (17th) A Martinez Santa Barbara Cruz Castillo Peter Bergman The Young and the Restless Jack Abbott Eric Braeden The Young and the Restless Victor Newman David Canary All My Children Adam Chandler/Stuart Chandler Stephen Schnetzer Another World Cass Winthrop 1991 (18th) Peter Bergman The Young and the RestlessJack Abbott David Canary All My Children Adam Chandler/Stuart ChandlerNicolas Coster Santa Barbara Lionel Lockridge A Martinez Santa Barbara Cruz Castillo James Reynolds Generations Henry Marshall 1992 (19th) Peter Bergman The Young and the Restless Jack Abbott David Canary All My Children Adam Chandler/Stuart Chandler Nicolas Coster Santa Barbara Lionel Lockridge A Martinez Santa Barbara Cruz Castillo Michael Zaslow Guiding LightRoger Thorpe 1993 (20th) David Canary All My Children Adam Chandler/Stuart Chandler Peter Bergman The Young and the Restless Jack Abbott Mark Derwin Guiding LightA.C. Mallet A Martinez Santa Barbara Cruz Castillo Robert S. Woods One Life to Live Bo Buchanan Michael Zaslow Guiding LightRoger Thorpe 1994 (21st) Michael Zaslow Guiding Light Roger Thorpe Peter Bergman The Young and the Restless Jack Abbott Charles Keating Another WorldCarl Hutchins Peter Simon Guiding Light Ed Bauer Robert S. Woods One Life to Live Bo Buchanan 1995 (22nd) Justin Deas Guiding Light Buzz Cooper Peter Bergman The Young and the Restless Jack Abbott David Canary All My Children Adam Chandler/Stuart Chandler Brad Maule General Hospital Tony Jones Michael Zaslow Guiding Light Roger Thorpe 1996 (23rd) Charles Keating Another World Carl Hutchins Maurice Benard General Hospital Sonny Corinthos Peter Bergman The Young and the Restless Jack Abbott Eric Braeden The Young and the Restless Victor Newman David Canary All My Children Adam Chandler/Stuart Chandler 1997 (24th) Justin Deas Guiding LightBuzz Cooper Peter Bergman The Young and the Restless Jack Abbott Eric Braeden The Young and the Restless Victor Newman David Canary All My Children Adam Chandler/Stuart Chandler Anthony Geary General Hospital Luke Spencer 1998 (25th) Eric Braeden The Young and the RestlessVictor Newman Peter Bergman The Young and the Restless Jack Abbott David Canary All My Children Adam Chandler/Stuart Chandler Anthony Geary General Hospital Luke Spencer Kin Shriner Port Charles Scott Baldwin 1999 (26th)Anthony Geary General Hospital Luke Spencer Peter Bergman The Young and the Restless Jack Abbott Eric Braeden The Young and the Restless Victor Newman David Canary All My Children Adam Chandler/Stuart Chandler Robert S. Woods One Life to Live Bo Buchanan
2000s Year Actor Program Role Network 2000 (27th) Anthony Geary General Hospital Luke Spencer Peter Bergman The Young and the Restless Jack Abbott Eric Braeden The Young and the Restless Victor Newman David Canary All My Children Adam Chandler/Stuart Chandler Robert S. Woods One Life to Live Bo Buchanan 2001 (28th) David Canary All My Children Adam Chandler/Stuart Chandler Peter Bergman The Young and the Restless Jack Abbott Tom Eplin As the World Turns Jake McKinnon Jon Hensley As the World Turns Holden Snyder John McCook The Bold and the Beautiful Eric Forrester 2002 (29th) Peter Bergman The Young and the Restless Jack Abbott Hunt Block As the World Turns Craig Montgomery Vincent Irizarry All My Children David Hayward Robert Newman Guiding Light Josh Lewis Jack Scalia All My Children Chris Stamp 2003 (30th) Maurice Benard General Hospital Sonny Corinthos Grant Aleksander Guiding Light Phillip Spaulding Doug Davidson The Young and the Restless Paul Williams Anthony Geary General Hospital Luke Spencer Ricky Paull Goldin Guiding Light Gus Aitoro Thorsten Kaye Port Charles Ian Thornhart 2004 (31st) Anthony Geary General Hospital Luke SpencerGrant Aleksander Guiding Light Phillip Spaulding Maurice Benard General Hospital Sonny Corinthos Eric Braeden The Young and the Restless Victor Newman Roger Howarth As the World Turns Paul Ryan Thorsten Kaye Port Charles Ian Thornhart 2005 (32nd) Christian LeBlanc The Young and the Restless Michael Baldwin Grant Aleksander Guiding Light Phillip Spaulding Steve Burton General Hospital Jason Morgan Roger Howarth As the World Turns Paul Ryan Michael E. Knight All My Children Tad Martin Jack Wagner The Bold and the Beautiful Nick Marone 2006 (33rd) Anthony Geary General Hospital Luke Spencer Maurice Benard General Hospital Sonny Corinthos Thorsten Kaye All My Children Zach Slater Robert Newman Guiding Light Josh Lewis Ron Raines Guiding Light Alan Spaulding 2007 (34th) Christian LeBlanc The Young and the Restless Michael Baldwin Peter Bergman The Young and the Restless Jack Abbott Anthony Geary General Hospital Luke Spencer Ricky Paull Goldin Guiding Light Gus Aitoro Michael Park As the World Turns Jack Snyder 2008 (35th) Anthony Geary General Hospital Luke Spencer Peter Bergman The Young and the Restless Jack Abbott David Canary All My Children Adam Chandler/Stuart Chandler Christian LeBlanc The Young and the Restless Michael Baldwin Thaao PenghlisDays of Our Lives Tony DiMera/Andre DiMera 2009 (36th) Christian LeBlanc The Young and the Restless Michael BaldwinDaniel Cosgrove Guiding Light Bill Lewis Anthony Geary General Hospital Luke Spencer Thorsten Kaye All My Children Zach Slater Peter Reckell Days of Our Lives Bo Brady
2010s