The Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film or Best Actress – Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television is a Golden Globe Award presented annually by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA).
It is given in honor of an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role on a miniseries or motion picture made for television for the calendar year. The award was first presented at the 39th Golden Globe Awards on January 30, 1982, to Jane Seymour, for her performance in East of Eden (1981). Performances by actresses in a miniseries or television film were originally awarded in the Best Actress – Television Series Drama category, before the creation of this category.
Since its inception, the award has been given to 34 actresses. Michelle Williams is the current recipient of the award, for her performance in Dying for Sex (2025). Ann-Margret, Judy Davis, Helen Mirren, Michelle Williams, and Kate Winslet have won the most awards in the category, winning two times. Jessica Lange and Mirren have been nominated for the award on eight occasions, the most for the category.
Winners and nominees
Listed below are the winners of the award for each year, as well as the other nominees. Key Meaning Indicates the winning actress
1980s + Year Actor Role Program Network Ref 1981 (39th) Jane Seymour Cathy Ames / Kate Albey East of Eden ABC Ellen Burstyn Jean Harris The People vs. Jean Harris NBC Glenda Jackson Patricia Neal The Patricia Neal Story CBS Jaclyn Smith Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy ABC Joanne Woodward Elizabeth Huckaby Crisis at Central High CBS 1982 (40th) Ingrid Bergman Golda Meir A Woman Called Golda CBS Carol Burnett Beatrice O'Reilly Life of the Party: The Story of Beatrice CBS Lucy Gutteridge Gloria Morgan Vanderbilt Little Gloria... Happy at Last NBC Ann Jillian Mae West Mae West ABC Lee Remick Leslie Crosbie The Letter Jean Stapleton Eleanor Roosevelt Eleanor, First Lady of the World CBS 1983 (41st) Ann-Margret Lucile Fray Who Will Love My Children? ABC Susan Blakely Frances Farmer Will There Really Be a Morning? CBS Blair Brown Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Kennedy NBC Gena Rowlands Victoria Alden Thursday's Child CBS Rachel Ward Meggie Cleary The Thorn Birds ABC 1984 (42nd) Ann-Margret Blanche DuBois A Streetcar Named Desire ABC Glenn Close Gail Bennett Something About Amelia ABC Farrah Fawcett Francine Hughes The Burning Bed NBC Jane Fonda Gertie Nevels The Dollmaker ABC Glenda Jackson Yelena Bonner Sakharov HBO 1985 (43rd) Liza Minnelli Mary-Lou Weisman A Time to Live NBC Peggy Ashcroft Barbara Batchelor The Jewel in the Crown PBS Gena Rowlands Katherine Pierson An Early Frost NBC Marlo Thomas Tess Lynd Consenting Adult ABC Joanne Woodward Barbara Wyatt-Hollis Do You Remember Love CBS 1986 (44th) Loretta Young Amanda Kingsley Christmas Eve NBC Farrah Fawcett Beate Klarsfeld Nazi Hunter: The Beate Klarsfeld Story ABC Amy Irving Anastasia "Anna" Anderson Anastasia: The Mystery of Anna NBC Vanessa Redgrave Renée Richards Second Serve CBS Marlo Thomas Marie Balter Nobody's Child 1987 (45th) Gena Rowlands Betty Ford The Betty Ford Story ABC Ann-Margret Ann Arden Grenville The Two Mrs. Grenvilles NBC Farrah Fawcett Barbara Hutton Poor Little Rich Girl: The Barbara Hutton Story Shirley MacLaine Herself Out on a Limb ABC Raquel Welch Emily Bauer Right to Die NBC 1988 (46th) Ann Jillian Herself The Ann Jillian Story NBC Vanessa Redgrave Alice More A Man for All Seasons TNT Jane Seymour Natalie Henry War and Remembrance (Parts I – VII) ABC Wallis Simpson The Woman He Loved CBS JoBeth Williams Mary Beth Whitehead Baby M ABC 1989 (47th) Christine Lahti Zan Cooper No Place Like Home CBS Farrah Fawcett Diane Downs Small Sacrifices ABC Holly Hunter Ellen Russell / Jane Doe Roe vs. Wade NBC Jane Seymour Natalie Henry War and Remembrance (Parts VIII – XII) ABC Loretta Young Grace Guthrie Lady in the Corner NBC
1990s + Year Actor Role Program Network Ref 1990 (48th) Barbara Hershey Candy Morrison A Killing in a Small Town CBS Annette O'Toole Rose Kennedy The Kennedys of Massachusetts ABC Suzanne Pleshette Leona Helmsley Leona Helmsley: The Queen of Mean CBS Lesley Ann Warren Barbara Walker Family of Spies Stephanie Zimbalist Caroline Caroline? 1991 (49th) Judy Davis Mary Lindell One Against the Wind CBS Glenn Close Sarah Whedon Sarah, Plain and Tall CBS Sally Kirkland Janet Smurl The Haunted Fox Jessica Tandy Grace The Story Lady NBC Lynn Whitfield Josephine Baker The Josephine Baker Story HBO 1992 (50th) Laura Dern Janet Harduvel Afterburn HBO Drew Barrymore Anita Minteer Guncrazy Showtime Katharine Hepburn Victoria Brown The Man Upstairs CBS Jessica Lange Alexandra Bergson O Pioneers! Kyra Sedgwick Reyzel Weiss / Rose White Miss Rose White NBC 1993 (51st) Bette Midler Rose Hovick Gypsy HBO Helena Bonham Carter Marina Oswald Porter Fatal Deception: Mrs. Lee Harvey Oswald NBC Faye Dunaway Lauren Staton Columbo ABC Holly Hunter Wanda Holloway The Positively True Adventures of the Alleged Texas Cheerleader-Murdering Mom HBO Anjelica Huston Lainey Eberlin Family Pictures ABC 1994 (52nd) Joanne Woodward Maggie Moran Breathing Lessons CBS Kirstie Alley Sally Goodson David's Mother CBS Irene Bedard Mary Crow Dog Lakota Woman: Siege at Wounded Knee TNT Diane Keaton Amelia Earhart Amelia Earhart: The Final Flight Diana Ross Pauline "Paulie" Cooper Out of Darkness ABC 1995 (53rd) Jessica Lange Blanche DuBois A Streetcar Named Desire CBS Glenn Close Margarethe Cammermeyer Serving in Silence: The Margarethe Cammermeyer Story NBC Jamie Lee Curtis Heidi Holland The Heidi Chronicles TNT Sally Field Bess Garner Steed A Woman of Independent Means NBC Linda Hamilton Rosemary Holmstrom A Mother's Prayer USA 1996 (54th) Helen Mirren Chase Phillips Losing Chase Showtime Ashley Judd Norma Jean Dougherty Norma Jean & Marilyn HBO Demi Moore Claire Donnelly If These Walls Could Talk Isabella Rossellini Anna Hauptmann Crime of the Century Mira Sorvino Marilyn Monroe Norma Jean & Marilyn 1997 (55th) Alfre Woodard Eunice Evers Miss Evers' Boys HBO Ellen Barkin Glory Marie Jackson Before Women Had Wings ABC Jena Malone Lily Kate Burns Hope TNT Vanessa Redgrave Graziella Luciano Bella Mafia CBS Meryl Streep Lori Reimuller ...First Do No Harm ABC 1998 (56th) Angelina Jolie Gia Carangi Gia HBO Stockard Channing Rachel Luchman The Baby Dance Showtime Laura Dern Wanda LeFauve Ann-Margret Pamela Harriman Life of the Party: The Pamela Harriman Story Lifetime Miranda Richardson Queen Mab Merlin NBC 1999 (57th) Halle Berry Dorothy Dandridge Introducing Dorothy Dandridge HBO Judy Davis Lillian Hellman Dash and Lilly A&E Mia Farrow Diana McGowin Forget Me Never CBS Helen Mirren Ayn Rand The Passion of Ayn Rand Showtime Leelee Sobieski Joan of Arc Joan of Arc CBS
2000s + Year Actor Role Program Network Ref 2000 (58th) Judi Dench Elizabeth Harman The Last of the Blonde Bombshells HBO Holly Hunter Ruby Kincaid Harlan County War Showtime Christine Lahti Lyssa Dent Hughes An American Daughter Lifetime Frances O'Connor Emma Bovary Madame Bovary PBS Rachel Ward Moira Davidson On the Beach Showtime Alfre Woodard Wanda Dean Holiday Heart 2001 (59th) Judy Davis Judy Garland Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows ABC Bridget Fonda Linda Sinclair After Amy Lifetime Julianna Margulies Morgaine The Mists of Avalon TNT Leelee Sobieski Tosia Altman Uprising NBC Hannah Taylor-Gordon Anne Frank Anne Frank: The Whole Story ABC Emma Thompson Vivian Bearing Wit HBO 2002 (60th) Uma Thurman Debby Miller Hysterical Blindness HBO Helena Bonham Carter Ingrid Formanek Live from Baghdad HBO Shirley MacLaine Mary Kay Ash Hell on Heels: The Battle of Mary Kay CBS Helen Mirren Mrs. Porter Door to Door HBO Vanessa Redgrave Clementine Churchill The Gathering Storm HBO 2003 (61st) Meryl Streep Hannah Pitt / Ethel Rosenberg / The Rabbi / The Angel Australia Angels in America HBO Judy Davis Nancy Reagan The Reagans Showtime Jessica Lange Irma Applewood Normal HBO Helen Mirren Karen Stone The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone Showtime Maggie Smith Emily Delahunty My House in Umbria HBO 2004 (62nd) Glenn Close Queen Eleanor The Lion in Winter Showtime Blythe Danner Rebecca Holmes Davitch Back When We Were Grownups CBS Julianna Margulies Maren Jackson The Grid TNT Miranda Richardson Queen Mary The Lost Prince PBS Hilary Swank Alice Paul Iron Jawed Angels HBO 2005 (63rd) S. Epatha Merkerson Rachel "Nanny" Crosby Lackawanna Blues HBO Halle Berry Janie Crawford Their Eyes Were Watching God ABC Kelly Macdonald Gina The Girl in the Café HBO Cynthia Nixon Eleanor Roosevelt Warm Springs Mira Sorvino Agent Kate Morozov / Katya Morozova Human Trafficking Lifetime 2006 (64th) Helen Mirren Queen Elizabeth I Elizabeth I HBO Gillian Anderson Lady Honoria Dedlock Bleak House PBS Annette Bening Jean Harris Mrs. Harris HBO Helen Mirren Jane Tennison Prime Suspect: The Final Act PBS Sophie Okonedo Susie Carter Tsunami: The Aftermath HBO 2007 (65th) Queen Latifah Ana Wallace Life Support HBO Bryce Dallas Howard Rosalind As You Like It HBO Debra Messing Molly Kagan The Starter Wife USA Sissy Spacek Josie Cahill Pictures of Hollis Woods CBS Ruth Wilson Jane Eyre Jane Eyre PBS 2008 (66th) Laura Linney Abigail Adams John Adams HBO Judi Dench Matilda "Matty" Jenkyns Cranford PBS Catherine Keener Gertrude Baniszewski An American Crime Showtime Shirley MacLaine Coco Chanel Coco Chanel Lifetime Susan Sarandon Doris Duke Bernard and Doris HBO 2009 (67th) Drew Barrymore Edith "Little Edie" Beale Grey Gardens HBO Joan Allen Georgia O'Keeffe Georgia O'Keeffe Lifetime Jessica Lange Edith "Big Edie" Beale Grey Gardens HBO Anna Paquin Irena Sendler The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler CBS Sigourney Weaver Mary Griffith Prayers for Bobby Lifetime
2010s