# AACTA Award for Best Lead Actress in a Television Drama

The Australian Film Institute Award for Best Lead Actress in Television Drama is awarded annually by the Australian Film Institute as part of the awards in television for excellence in acting in television drama by an actress.
The first Award was made in 1986. Prior to 1990, two awards existed and were called Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini Series and Best Lead Actress in a Telefeature. The awards were merged in 1990 to become Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Telefeature or Mini Series which in 1991 was renamed Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Television Drama. In 2000, the Awards were again awarded in two categories, called Best Performance by an Actress in a Telefeature or Mini Series and Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Television Drama. In 2002, the Awards were again combined under the title Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Television Drama and two years later, in 2004, the Award was named Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Television Drama or Comedy. A separate comedy Award was established in 2006, and this Award became Best Lead Actress in Television Drama.
Claudia Karvan has the most nominations with 11 and the most wins with 4.

## Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini Series

| Year | Winner | Mini Series | Network | Other nominees |
| 1986 | Deidre Rubenstein | Palace of Dreams | ABC TV | |
| 1987 | Nicole Kidman | Vietnam | Network Ten | Catherine Wilkin - The Great Bookie Robbery (Nine Network) Anne Phelan - The Harp in the South (Network Ten) Tracy Mann - Sword Of Honour (Seven Network) |
| 1988 | Anne Phelan | Poor Man's Orange | Ten Network | Tushka Bergen - Always Afternoon (ABC) Kaarin Fairfax - Poor Man's Orange (Network Ten) Victoria Longley - The Alien Years (ABC) |
| 1989 | Julia Blake | Edens Lost | ABC | Victoria Longley - Eden's Lost (ABC) Lisa Harrow - Act of Betrayal (ABC) Linda Cropper - Eden's Lost (ABC) |

## Best Lead Actress in a Telefeature

| Year | Winner | Telefeature | Network | Other nominees |
| 1986 | Candy Raymond | Breaking Up | | |
| 1987 | Michele Fawdon | The Fish Are Safe | ABC | Rhonda Wilson - The Hour Before My Brother Dies (ABC) Emma Coles - Two Friends (ABC) Kris McQuade - Two Friends (ABC) |
| 1988 | Kerry McGuire | Olive | ABC | Maggie King - Sisterly Love (ABC) Judith Stratford - Custody Joan Sydney - Sisterly Love (ABC) |
| 1989 | Pat Thomson | Malpractice | | Caz Lederman - Malpractice Grace Parr - Prejudice (Nine Network) Sonia Todd - Rescue (ABC) |

## Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Telefeature or Mini Series

| Year | Winner | Telefeature or Mini Series | Network | Other nominees |
| 1990 | Rebecca Gibney | Come In Spinner | ABC TV | Caroline Goodall - Cassidy (ABC) Lisa Harrow - Come In Spinner (ABC) Tracy Mann - How Wonderful! (ABC) |

## Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Television Drama

| Year | Winner | Television Drama | Episode | Network | Other nominees |
| 1991 | Sonia Todd | Police Rescue | "By the book" | ABC TV | Janet Andrewartha - Embassy, Season 2 - Episode 1, 'A Human Dimension' (ABC) Pat Bishop - The Paper Man (ABC) Josephine Byrnes - Shadows of the Heart (Network Ten) |
| 1992 | Lisa Hensley | Brides of Christ | | ABC TV | Sandy Gore - Brides Of Christ (ABC) Leverne McDonnell - Phoenix, Season 1 - Episode 8, 'Fond Memories' (ABC) Lenita Vangellis - Six Pack - 'Loulla' (SBS) |
| 1993 | Denise Roberts | G.P. | "Alone" | ABC TV | Elizabeth Alexander - Seven Deadly Sins - 'Pride' (ABC) Elaine Hudson - Joh's Jury (ABC) Christine Tremarco - The Leaving Of Liverpool (ABC) |
| 1994 | Monica Maughan | The Damnation of Harvey McHugh | "My brilliant chorea" | ABC TV | Diana Lin - Under The Skin - Episode 5, 'The Long Ride' (SBS) Jacqueline McKenzie - The Battlers (Seven Network) Sigrid Thornton - G.P., Series 6 - Episode 13, 'Double Bind' (ABC) |
| 1995 | Jacqueline McKenzie | Halifax f.p. | "Lies of the Mind" | Nine Network | Rebecca Gibney - Halifax f.p., Series 1 - 'Lies Of The Mind' (Nine Network) Belinda McClory - Janus, Series 1 - Episode 3, 'Not On The Merits' (ABC) Frances O'Connor - Halifax f.p., Series 1 - 'The Feeding' (Nine Network) |
| 1996 | Claudia Karvan | G.P. | "Sing me a lullaby" | ABC TV | Catherine McClements - Water Rats, Series 1 - Episode 10, 'Goldstein And Son' (Nine Network) Sonia Todd - Police Rescue, Series 5 - Episode 9, 'The Only Constant' (ABC) Sonia Todd |
| 1997 | Anne Looby | Simone de Beauvoir's Babies | Episode #3 | ABC TV | Sally Cooper - Simone de Beauvoir's Babies - Episode 4 (ABC) Nadine Garner - Raw FM - Episode 2, 'Desperately Seeking Su Lin' (ABC) Leah Purcell - Fallen Angels - Episode 14, 'Love Is In The Air' (ABC) |
| 1998 | Rachael Blake | Wildside | Episode #20 | ABC TV | Rebecca Gibney - Halifax f.p., Series 3 - 'Afraid Of The Dark' (Nine Network) Claudia Karvan - Never Tell Me Never (Network Ten) Sophie Heathcote - Raw FM - Episode 8, 'Raw 'n Sore' (ABC) |
| 1999 | Jill Forster | SeaChange | "Manna from heaven" | ABC TV | Catherine McClements - Water Rats, Series 4 - Episode 17, 'Hi Honey I'm Home' (Nine Network) Lisa McCune - The Potato Factory (Seven Network) Sonia Todd - The Potato Factory (Seven Network) |
| 2000 | Anne Phelan | Something in the Air | "We will remember them" | ABC TV | Rhondda Findleton - Grass Roots, Series 1 - Episode 7, 'Late July, Friday 4pm To 10.30pm' (ABC) Sophie Heathcote - Grass Roots, Series 1 - Episode 8, 'The Whole Year' (ABC) Anita Hegh - Stingers, Series 2 - Episode 18, 'Men In The Dark' (Nine Network) |
| 2001 | Kerry Armstrong | SeaChange | | ABC TV | Kate Beahan - Love Is a Four Letter Word (ABC) Claudia Karvan - The Secret Life of Us (Network Ten) Gina Riley - The Games (ABC) Sigrid Thornton - SeaChange (ABC) |
| 2002 | Juliet Stevenson | The Road from Coorain | | ABC TV | Kerry Armstrong - MDA (Medical Defence Australia), Series 1 (ABC) Mary Docker - Halifax f.p., Series 6 - 'Takes Two' (Nine Network) Claudia Karvan - The Secret Life of Us (Network Ten) |
| 2003 | Angie Milliken | MDA | | ABC TV | Claudia Karvan - The Secret Life of Us, Series 3 (Network Ten) Deborah Mailman - The Secret Life of Us, Series 3 (Network Ten) Jane Turner - Kath & Kim, Series 2 (ABC) |

## Best Performance by an Actress in a Telefeature or Mini Series

| Year | Winner | Telefeature or Mini Series | Episode | Network | Other nominees |
| 2000 | Noni Hazlehurst | Waiting at the Royal | | Nine Network | Essie Davis - Halifax f.p., Series 5 - 'The Spider And The Fly' (Nine Network) Rebecca Gibney - Halifax f.p., Series 5 - 'A Person Of Interest' (Nine Network) Jo Kennedy - Waiting at the Royal (Nine Network) |
| 2001 | Angie Milliken | My Brother Jack | | Network Ten | Greta Scacchi - The Farm (ABC) Ellouise Rothwell - My Brother Jack (Network Ten) |

## Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Television Drama or Comedy

| Year | Winner | Television Drama or Comedy | Episode | Network | Other nominees |
| 2004 | Bojana Novakovic | Marking Time | | ABC | Claudia Karvan - Small Claims (Network Ten) Gina Riley - Kath & Kim, Series 3 (ABC) Jane Turner - Kath & Kim, Series 3 (ABC) |
| 2005 | Claudia Karvan | Love My Way | | FOX8 | Romola Garai - The Incredible Journey of Mary Bryant (Network Ten) Miranda Otto - Through My Eyes (Seven Network) Sigrid Thornton - Little Oberon (Nine Network) |

## Best Lead Actress in Television Drama

| Year | Winner | Television Drama | Episode | Network | Other nominees |
| 2006 | Susie Porter | RAN | | SBS TV | Justine Clarke - The Surgeon (Network Ten) Claudia Karvan - Love My Way, Series 2 (Foxtel) Asher Keddie - Love My Way, Series 2 (Foxtel) |
| 2007 | Claudia Karvan | Love My Way | | Showtime | Tammy Clarkson - The Circuit (SBS) Noni Hazlehurst - Stepfather Of The Bride (ABC) Catherine McClements - Call Me Mum (SBS) |
| 2008 | Kat Stewart | Underbelly | | Nine Network | Phoebe Tonkin - H$_2$O: Just Add Water (Network Ten) Diana Glenn - Satisfaction (Showcase) Alison Whyte - Satisfaction (Showcase) |
| 2009 | Susie Porter | East West 101 | | SBS TV | Rachael Blake - False Witness (UKTV) Rebecca Gibney - Packed to the Rafters (Seven Network) Asher Keddie - Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities (Nine Network) |
| 2010 | Catherine McClements | Tangle | Season 2 | Showcase | Cheree Cassidy - Underbelly: The Golden Mile "Full Force Gale" (Nine Network) Justine Clarke - Tangle (Showcase) Poppy Lee Friar - Dead Gorgeous (ABC) |
| 2011 | Sarah Snook | Sisters of War | | ABC1 | Essie Davis - Cloudstreet (Showcase) Kerry Fox - Cloudstreet (Showcase) Asher Keddie - Paper Giants: The Birth of Cleo (ABC1) |
| 2012 | Leah Purcell | Redfern Now | Episode 1: Family | ABC1 | Ashleigh Cummings - Puberty Blues (Network Ten) Essie Davis - Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries (ABC1) Susie Porter - Dangerous Remedy (ABC1) |
| 2013 | Claudia Karvan | The Time of Our Lives | | ABC1 | Marie Bunel - An Accidental Soldier (ABC1) Asher Keddie - Offspring (Network Ten) Sheridan Smith - Mrs Biggs (Seven Network) |
| 2014 | Marta Dusseldorp | Janet King | | ABC | Ashleigh Cummings - Puberty Blues, Series 2 (Network Ten) Kat Stewart - Offspring, Season 5 (Network Ten) Danielle Cormack - Wentworth, Series 2 (SoHo) |
| 2015 | Pamela Rabe | Wentworth | Series 3 | SoHo | Peta Sergeant - House of Hancock (Nine Network) Sarah Snook - The Secret River (ABC) Deborah Mailman - Redfern Now - Promise Me (ABC) |
| 2016 | Elizabeth Debicki | The Kettering Incident | | Foxtel/Showcase | Danielle Cormack – Wentworth (Foxtel/SoHo) Pamela Rabe – Wentworth (Foxtel/SoHo) Sarah Snook – The Beautiful Lie (ABC) |
| 2017 | Elisabeth Moss | Top of the Lake: China Girl | | Foxtel/BBC First | Toni Collette – Blue Murder: Killer Cop (Seven Network) Marta Dusseldorp – Janet King (ABC) Pamela Rabe – Wentworth (Foxtel/Showcase) |
| 2018 | Kate Box | Riot | | | Tina Bursill – Doctor Doctor Judy Davis – Mystery Road Leah Purcell – Wentworth Leeanna Walsman – Safe Harbour |
| 2019 | Deborah Mailman | Total Control | | | Jenna Coleman – The Cry Essie Davis – Lambs of God Ann Dowd – Lambs of God Anna Torv – Secret City: Under the Eagle |
| 2020 | Yvonne Strahovski | Stateless | | | Jada Alberts – Mystery Road Rebecca Gibney – Halifax: Retribution Asher Keddie – Stateless Pamela Rabe – Wentworth |
| 2021 | Anna Torv | The Newsreader | | | Deborah Mailman – Total Control Mandy McElhinney – Wentworth Miranda Otto – Fire Pamela Rabe – Wentworth |
| 2022 | Tuuli Narkle | Mystery Road: Origin | | | Isla Fisher – Wolf Like Me Claudia Karvan – Bump Kate Mulvany – The Twelve Bojana Novakovic – Love Me |