The International Emmy Award for Best Performance by an Actress is presented annually by the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (IATAS). The award honors the best performance by an actress in a made-for-television fiction program (i.e., a movie, miniseries, drama series, telenovela, or comedy series).
Since its inception, the award has been given to twenty actresses. Anna Maxwell Martin is the current recipient, for her portrayal of Delia Balmer in Until I Kill You. Julie Walters holds the record for the most wins in this category, with two awards.
Rules and Regulations
The International Emmy Award for Best Actress is awarded for a female performance in a made-for-television fiction program (which can be a television film, miniseries, drama series, telenovela, or comedy series). According to International Academy rules, only performances from programs entered into the competition are eligible.
The same actress may be submitted for different productions, as separate entries. More than one female performance from the same production may also be submitted.
To be eligible, a performer must appear in at least 10% of the total airtime of the submitted episode. If the performance is part of a series, only one episode must have had its first broadcast within the listed eligibility dates.
History The first actress to win the International Emmy was Chinese actress He Lin, for Slave Mother, a television film produced by the CCTV6 channel. In 2006, Dutch actress Maryam Hassouni won for her performance as Laila al Gatawi in Offers, a drama thriller directed by Dana Nechushtan.
In 2007, the International Emmy for Best Actress was awarded to French actress Muriel Robin for her role as Marie Besnard in the Belgian-French film The Poisoner.
British actresses Lucy Cohu, Julie Walters and Helena Bonham Carter won in subsequent years, with Walters being the only two-time winner—first in 2009 for her role as Anne Turner in A Short Stay in Switzerland, and again in 2011 for her performance in the biographical film Mo, which tells the life story of Labour Party politician Mo Mowlam.
The first Emmy for Best Actress awarded to a Latin American performer went to Argentina’s Cristina Banegas, for her role in the miniseries Televisión por la Inclusión, followed by Brazil’s Fernanda Montenegro in 2013.
In 2014, Dutch actress Bianca Krijgsman was honored for her performance in A New World, a film about a chance encounter between her character and an African refugee, which leads to an unexpected relationship. Norwegian actress Anneke von der Lippe won the 2015 Emmy for her role in Øyevitne, a noir thriller created and directed by Jarl Emsell Larsen. She had previously been nominated in 2005 for her performance in the miniseries Ved Kongens Bord, but lost to China’s He Lin that year.
In 2016, Christiane Paul won the Emmy for her portrayal of Elke Seeberg in Unterm Radar, a German television film based on a book by Henriette Bruegger. In the story, her character's daughter is suspected of participating in a terrorist attack in Berlin.
Anna Friel won her first Emmy in 2017 for her role as Marcella Backland in the British Nordic-noir drama series Marcella.
In 2018, Anna Schudt won for portraying comedian Gaby Köster in Ein Schnupfen hätte auch gereicht, a biopic based on Köster’s autobiography of the same name.
In 2019, Marina Gera won Hungary’s first International Emmy Award for her lead role in Eternal Winter.
Winners and nominees 2000s Year Recipient Character English title Original title Country2005 He Lin A'Xiu Slave Mother 為奴隸的母親 / Wèi núlì de mǔqīn Anneke von der Lippe Tove Steen At the King's Table Ved kongens bord Carolina Oliveira Maria Today is Maria's Day Hoje É Dia de Maria Catherine Tate Multiple rolesThe Catherine Tate Show 2006 Maryam Hassouni Laila al Gatawi Offers Heike Makatsch Margarete Steiff Margarete Steiff Imelda Staunton Louisa DurrellMy Family and Other Animals Lucy Cohu Princess MargaretThe Queen's Sister 2007 Muriel Robin Marie Besnard The Poisoner Marie Besnard, l'empoisonneuse Lília Cabral Marta Toledo FloresPages of Life Páginas da Vida Brenda Ngxoli Vuyo RadebeHome Affairs Victoria Wood Nella LastHousewife, 49 2008 Lucy Cohu Liz Forgiven Irene Ravache Loreta O'Neill Eternal Magic Eterna Magia Sofie Gråbøl Sarah LundThe Killing Forbrydelsen Zhibo Yuan RunyueWait for the Birth of the Husband 2009 Julie Walters Dr Anne Turner A Short Stay in Switzerland Cecilia Suárez La BambiCapadocia Angel Locsin Lyka Raymundo-OrtegaLobo Emma de Caunes Marie ManikowskiNight Birds Rien dans les poches
2010s Year Recipient Character English title Original title Country2010 Helena Bonham Carter Enid Blyton Enid Lília Cabral TeresaSeize the Day Viver a Vida Iris Berben Bertha Krupp Krupp: A Family Between War and Peace Krupp – Eine deutsche Familie Lerato Mvelase Katlego MbathaHome Affairs 2011 Julie Walters Mo Mowlam Mo Adriana Esteves Dalva de Oliveira Songs of Betrayal Dalva e Herivelto: uma Canção de Amor Noomi Rapace Lisbeth SalanderMillennium Athena Chu Tai MungA Wall-less World 沒有牆的世界 / Méiyǒu qiáng de shìjiè 2012 Cristina Banegas Paula Televisión por la inclusión Sidse Babett Knudsen Birgitte NyborgBorgen Rina Sa Zhao Lao Ga's wifeZhong Guo Di Joanna Vanderham Cathy ConnorThe Runaway 2013 Fernanda Montenegro Dona Picucha Sweet Mother Doce de Mãe Sun Li Zhen HuanThe Back Palace: Legend of Zhen Huan 后宫·甄嬛传 / Hòugōng·zhēnhuán chuán Sheridan Smith Charmian Biggs Mrs Biggs Lotta Tejle Majlis 30 Degrees in February 30° i februari 2014 Bianca Krijgsman Mirte The New World De Nieuwe Wereld Tuba Büyüküstün Melek Halaskar20 Minutes 20 Dakika Olivia Colman Ellie Miller Broadchurch Romina Gaetani Jorgelina Televisión por la justicia 2015 Anneke von der Lippe Helen Sikkeland Eyewitness Øyevitne Fernanda Montenegro Dona Picucha Sweet Mother Doce de Mãe Sheridan Smith Cilla Black Cilla 2016 Christiane Paul Elke Seeberg Under the Radar Unterm Radar Grazi Massafera Larissa Ramos Hidden Truths Verdades Secretos Jodi Sta. Maria Amor de Jesus-Powers The Promise Pangako Sa 'Yo Judi Dench Mrs Lavinia SilverRoald Dahl's Esio Trot 2017 Anna Friel Marcella Backland Marcella Adriana Esteves Fátima Above Justice Justiça Sonja Gerhardt Monika SchöllackKu'damm 56 Thuso Mbedu WinnieIs'Thunzi 2018 Anna Schudt Gaby Köster Ein Schnupfen hätte auch gereicht Thuso Mbedu WinnieIs'Thunzi Emily Watson Dr Yvonne CarmichaelApple Tree Yard Denise Weinberg Denise Dell PizzoPsi 2019 Marina Gera IrénEternal Winter Örök tél Radhika Apte Kalindi Lust Stories Jenna Coleman Joanna Lindsay The Cry Marjorie Estiano Dr Carolina Alencar Under Pressure Sob Pressão
2020s Year Recipient Character English title Original title Country2020 Glenda Jackson Maud Horsham Elizabeth Is Missing Emma Bading Jennifer Reitwein Play Andréa Beltrão Hebe Camargo Hebe Hebe: A Estrela do Brasil Yeo Yann Yann Lian Invisible Stories 2021 Hayley Squires Jolene Dollar Adult Material Valeria Bertuccelli María "Marie" Vázquez Notes for My Son El cuarderno de Tomy Ane Gabarain Miren Uzkudun Patria Menna Shalabi Nour Every week has a Friday 2022Lou de Laâge Eugénie Cléry The Mad Women's Ball Le bal des folles Céline Buckens Talitha Campbell Showtrial Letícia Colin Dr. Amanda Vergueiro Meireles Where My Heart Is Onde Está Meu Coração Kim Engelbrecht Reyka Gama Reyka 2023 Karla Souza Mariel Saenz Dive La Caída Connie Nielsen Karen Blixen The Dreamer – Becoming Karen Blixen Drømmeren – Karen Blixen Bliver Til Billie Piper Suzie Pickles I Hate Suzie Too Shefali Shah DCP Vartika Chaturvedi Delhi Crime 2024 Chutimon Chuengcharoensukying Aoy Hunger Sara Giraudeau Marion Lafarge Everything is Fine Tout va bien Jessica Hynes Emily Yates There She Goes Adriana Barraza Teacher Georgina Where the Tracks End El Último Vagón 2025 Anna Maxwell Martin Delia Balmer Until I Kill You Charlotte Hope Micki Pistorius Catch Me a Killer Carolina Miranda Esmeralda Mujeres asesinas Maria Sid Isa Stenberg Pressure Point Smärtpunkten 2026 Mona Mina Leon Yasmine De Laet Holy Sh!t Bárbara Mori Bárbara Anderson Lucca's World Los dos hemisferios de Lucca Park Ji-hyun Cheon Sang-yeon You and Everything Else 은중과 상연 Sheridan Smith Ann Ming I Fought the Law
Photo gallery
Multiple nominations
Most nominations by a female actor
Number Actress 2 Adriana Esteves Anneke von der Lippe Fernanda Montenegro Julie Walters Lilia Cabral Lucy Cohu Sheridan Smith Thuso Mbedu
Most nominations by a Program
Number Program2 Home Affairs Is'Thunzi
Most nominations by country
Number Country 18 12 6 4 3 2
Multiple wins Most awards won by a female
Number Actress 2 Julie Walters
Most awards won by a country Number Country 5 2
References
External links 2013 Emmy Awards International Emmy Awards