# Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series

The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series is an award presented annually in the U.S. by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS). It is given in honor of an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role on a television drama series for the primetime network season.
The award was first presented at the 6th Primetime Emmy Awards on February 11, 1954. The acting awards presented during the inaugural years were not genre-specific, with actresses in either drama or comedy series receiving nominations and awards. While Eve Arden was the first winner in the female acting category, Loretta Young was the first actress to win for a lead performance in a drama series. By 1966, the acting awards were split into drama and comedy categories, undergoing several name changes until settling with the current title.
Since its inception, the award has been given to 157 actresses, with 31 winning for performances in a drama series. Tyne Daly and Michael Learned hold the record for most wins in the category, with four each. Angela Lansbury is the most nominated actress in the category, with twelve nominations, though she never won. In 2015, Viola Davis became the first African-American woman to win, for her performance as Annalise Keating on How to Get Away with Murder. In 2020, Zendaya became the youngest winner, at age 24, for Euphoria. She won again in 2022, becoming the first African-American to win twice. As of 2024, Anna Sawai is the most recent winner, receiving the award for her work on Shogun.

## Winners and nominations

Listed below are the winners of the award for each year, as well as the other nominees.
| Key | Meaning |
| | Indicates the winning actress |
| # | Indicates a performance in a miniseries or television film, prior to the category's creation |
| § | Indicates a performance as a guest performer, prior to the category's creation |

### 1950s

| Year | Actress | Role | Program | Network |
| Best Female Star of a Regular Series |||||
| 1954 (6th) | Eve Arden | Connie Brooks | Our Miss Brooks | CBS |
| 1954 (6th) | Lucille Ball | Lucy Ricardo | I Love Lucy | CBS |
| 1954 (6th) | Imogene Coca | Various characters | Your Show of Shows | NBC |
| 1954 (6th) | Dinah Shore | Herself | The Dinah Shore Show | NBC |
| 1954 (6th) | Loretta Young | Various characters | The Loretta Young Show | NBC |
| Best Actress Starring in a Regular Series |||||
| 1955 (7th) | Loretta Young | Various characters | The Loretta Young Show | NBC |
| 1955 (7th) | Gracie Allen | Gracie Allen | The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show | CBS |
| 1955 (7th) | Eve Arden | Connie Brooks | Our Miss Brooks | CBS |
| 1955 (7th) | Lucille Ball | Lucy Ricardo | I Love Lucy | CBS |
| 1955 (7th) | Ann Sothern | Susie McNamara | Private Secretary | CBS |
| Best Actress – Continuing Performance |||||
| 1956 (8th) | Lucille Ball | Lucy Ricardo | I Love Lucy | CBS |
| 1956 (8th) | Gracie Allen | Gracie Allen | The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show | CBS |
| 1956 (8th) | Eve Arden | Connie Brooks | Our Miss Brooks | CBS |
| 1956 (8th) | Jean Hagen | Margaret Williams | Make Room for Daddy | ABC |
| 1956 (8th) | Ann Sothern | Susie McNamara | Private Secretary | CBS |
| Best Continuing Performance by an Actress |||||
| 1957 (9th) | Loretta Young | Various characters | The Loretta Young Show | NBC |
| 1957 (9th) | Jan Clayton | Ellen Miller | Lassie | CBS |
| 1957 (9th) | Ida Lupino | Various characters | Four Star Playhouse | CBS |
| 1957 (9th) | Peggy Wood | Mama | Mama | CBS |
| 1957 (9th) | Jane Wyman | Various characters | Jane Wyman Theatre | NBC |
| Best Continuing Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Dramatic or Comedy Series |||||
| 1958 (10th) | Jane Wyatt | Margaret Anderson | Father Knows Best | NBC |
| 1958 (10th) | Eve Arden | Liza Hammond | The Eve Arden Show | CBS |
| 1958 (10th) | Spring Byington | Lily Ruskin | December Bride | CBS |
| 1958 (10th) | Jan Clayton | Ellen Miller | Lassie | CBS |
| 1958 (10th) | Ida Lupino | Eve Drake | Mr. Adams and Eve | CBS |
| Best Actress in a Leading Role (Continuing Character) in a Dramatic Series |||||
| 1959 (11th) | Loretta Young | Various characters | The Loretta Young Show | NBC |
| 1959 (11th) | Phyllis Kirk | Nora Charles | The Thin Man | NBC |
| 1959 (11th) | June Lockhart | Ruth Martin | Lassie | CBS |
| 1959 (11th) | Jane Wyman | Various characters | The Jane Wyman Show | NBC |

### 1960s

| Year | Actress | Role | Program | Network |
| Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Series (Lead or Support) |||||
| 1960 (12th) | Jane Wyatt | Margaret Anderson | Father Knows Best | CBS |
| 1960 (12th) | Donna Reed | Donna Stone | The Donna Reed Show | ABC |
| 1960 (12th) | Teresa Wright | Margaret Bourke-White | NBC Sunday Showcase | NBC |
| 1960 (12th) | Loretta Young | Various characters | The Loretta Young Show | NBC |
| Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Series (Lead) |||||
| 1961 (13th) | Barbara Stanwyck | Various characters | The Barbara Stanwyck Show | NBC |
| 1961 (13th) | Donna Reed | Donna Stone | The Donna Reed Show | ABC |
| 1961 (13th) | Loretta Young | Various characters | The Loretta Young Show | NBC |
| Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actress in a Series (Lead) |||||
| 1962 (14th) | Shirley Booth | Hazel Burke | Hazel | NBC |
| 1962 (14th) | Gertrude Berg | Sarah Green | The Gertrude Berg Show | CBS |
| 1962 (14th) | Donna Reed | Donna Stone | The Donna Reed Show | ABC |
| 1962 (14th) | Mary Stuart | Joanne Gardner | Search for Tomorrow | CBS |
| 1962 (14th) | Cara Williams | Gladys Porter | Pete and Gladys | CBS |
| 1963 (15th) | Shirley Booth | Hazel Burke | Hazel | NBC |
| 1963 (15th) | Lucille Ball | Lucy Carmichael | The Lucy Show | CBS |
| 1963 (15th) | Shirl Conway | Liz Thorpe | The Nurses | CBS |
| 1963 (15th) | Mary Tyler Moore | Laura Petrie | The Dick Van Dyke Show | CBS |
| 1963 (15th) | Irene Ryan | Granny | The Beverly Hillbillies | CBS |
| 1964 (16th) | Mary Tyler Moore | Laura Petrie | The Dick Van Dyke Show | CBS |
| 1964 (16th) | Shirley Booth | Hazel Burke | Hazel | NBC |
| 1964 (16th) | Patty Duke | Cathy Lane | The Patty Duke Show | ABC |
| 1964 (16th) | Irene Ryan | Granny | The Beverly Hillbillies | CBS |
| 1964 (16th) | Inger Stevens | Katy Holstrum | The Farmer's Daughter | ABC |
| Outstanding Individual Achievements in Entertainment – Actors and Performers |||||
| 1965 (17th) |
| 1965 (17th) | Leonard Bernstein | Conductor | New York Philharmonic Young People's Concerts with Leonard Bernstein | CBS |
| 1965 (17th) | Lynn Fontanne | Fanny Bowditch Holmes | Hallmark Hall of Fame: "The Magnificent Yankee" | NBC |
| 1965 (17th) | Alfred Lunt | Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. | Hallmark Hall of Fame: "The Magnificent Yankee" | NBC |
| 1965 (17th) | Barbra Streisand | Herself | My Name Is Barbra | CBS |
| 1965 (17th) | Dick Van Dyke | Rob Petrie | The Dick Van Dyke Show | CBS |
| 1965 (17th) | Julie Andrews | Herself | The Andy Williams Show: "November 30, 1964" | NBC |
| 1965 (17th) | Johnny Carson | Host | The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson | NBC |
| 1965 (17th) | Gladys Cooper | Margaret St. Clair | The Rogues | NBC |
| 1965 (17th) | Robert Coote | Timmy St. Clair | The Rogues | NBC |
| 1965 (17th) | Richard Crenna | James Slattery | Slattery's People | CBS |
| 1965 (17th) | Julie Harris | Florence Nightingale | Hallmark Hall of Fame: "The Holy Terror" | NBC |
| 1965 (17th) | Bob Hope | Himself | Chrysler Presents A Bob Hope Comedy Special | NBC |
| 1965 (17th) | Dean Jagger | Principal Albert Vane | Mr. Novak | NBC |
| 1965 (17th) | Danny Kaye | Host | The Danny Kaye Show | CBS |
| 1965 (17th) | David McCallum | Illya Kuryakin | The Man from U.N.C.L.E. | NBC |
| 1965 (17th) | Red Skelton | Himself | The Red Skelton Hour | CBS |
| Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Dramatic Series |||||
| 1966 (18th) | Barbara Stanwyck | Victoria Barkley | The Big Valley | ABC |
| 1966 (18th) | Anne Francis | Honey West | Honey West | ABC |
| 1966 (18th) | Barbara Parkins | Betty Anderson Cord | Peyton Place | ABC |
| 1967 (19th) | Barbara Bain | Cinnamon Carter | Mission: Impossible | CBS |
| 1967 (19th) | Diana Rigg | Emma Peel | The Avengers | ABC |
| 1967 (19th) | Barbara Stanwyck | Victoria Barkley | The Big Valley | ABC |
| 1968 (20th) | Barbara Bain | Cinnamon Carter | Mission: Impossible | CBS |
| 1968 (20th) | Diana Rigg | Emma Peel | The Avengers | ABC |
| 1968 (20th) | Barbara Stanwyck | Victoria Barkley | The Big Valley | ABC |
| 1969 (21st) | Barbara Bain | Cinnamon Carter | Mission: Impossible | CBS |
| 1969 (21st) | Joan Blondell | Lottie Hatfield | Here Come the Brides | ABC |
| 1969 (21st) | Peggy Lipton | Julie Barnes | The Mod Squad | ABC |

### 1970s

| Year | Actress | Role | Program | Network |
| Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Dramatic Series |||||
| 1970 (22nd) | Susan Hampshire # | Fleur Mont | The Forsyte Saga | NET |
| 1970 (22nd) | Joan Blondell | Lottie Hatfield | Here Come the Brides | ABC |
| 1970 (22nd) | Peggy Lipton | Julie Barnes | The Mod Squad | ABC |
| 1971 (23rd) | Susan Hampshire # | Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough | The First Churchills | PBS |
| 1971 (23rd) | Linda Cristal | Victoria Montoya | The High Chaparral | NBC |
| 1971 (23rd) | Peggy Lipton | Julie Barnes | The Mod Squad | ABC |
| 1972 (24th) | Glenda Jackson # | Elizabeth I of England | Elizabeth R | PBS |
| 1972 (24th) | Peggy Lipton | Julie Barnes | The Mod Squad | ABC |
| 1972 (24th) | Susan Saint James | Sally McMillian | McMillan & Wife | NBC |
| Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role (Drama Series - Continuing) |||||
| 1973 (25th) | Michael Learned | Olivia Walton | The Waltons | CBS |
| 1973 (25th) | Lynda Day George | Lisa Casey | Mission: Impossible | CBS |
| 1973 (25th) | Susan Saint James | Sally McMillian | McMillan & Wife | NBC |
| Best Lead Actress in a Drama Series |||||
| 1974 (26th) | Michael Learned | Olivia Walton | The Waltons | CBS |
| 1974 (26th) | Jean Marsh | Rose Buck | Upstairs, Downstairs | PBS |
| 1974 (26th) | Jeanette Nolan | Sally Fergus | Dirty Sally | CBS |
| Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series |||||
| 1975 (27th) | Jean Marsh | Rose Buck | Upstairs, Downstairs | PBS |
| 1975 (27th) | Angie Dickinson | Sgt. Leann Anderson | Police Woman | NBC |
| 1975 (27th) | Michael Learned | Olivia Walton | The Waltons | CBS |
| 1976 (28th) | Michael Learned | Olivia Walton | The Waltons | CBS |
| 1976 (28th) | Angie Dickinson | Sgt. Leann Anderson | Police Woman | NBC |
| 1976 (28th) | Anne Meara | Kate McShane | Kate McShane | CBS |
| 1976 (28th) | Brenda Vaccaro | Sara Yarnell | Sara | CBS |
| 1977 (29th) | Lindsay Wagner | Jaime Sommers | The Bionic Woman | ABC |
| 1977 (29th) | Angie Dickinson | Sgt. Leann Anderson | Police Woman | NBC |
| 1977 (29th) | Kate Jackson | Sabrina Duncan | Charlie's Angels | ABC |
| 1977 (29th) | Michael Learned | Olivia Walton | The Waltons | CBS |
| 1977 (29th) | Sada Thompson | Kate Lawrence | Family | ABC |
| 1978 (30th) | Sada Thompson | Kate Lawrence | Family | ABC |
| 1978 (30th) | Melissa Sue Anderson | Mary Ingalls | Little House on the Prairie | NBC |
| 1978 (30th) | Fionnula Flanagan | Aunt Molly Culhane | How the West Was Won | ABC |
| 1978 (30th) | Kate Jackson | Sabrina Duncan | Charlie's Angels | ABC |
| 1978 (30th) | Michael Learned | Olivia Walton | The Waltons | CBS |
| 1978 (30th) | Susan Sullivan | Julie Farr | Having Babies | ABC |
| 1979 (31st) | Mariette Hartley § | Carolyn Fields | The Incredible Hulk | CBS |
| 1979 (31st) | Barbara Bel Geddes | Miss Ellie Ewing | Dallas | CBS |
| 1979 (31st) | Rita Moreno § | Rita Capkovick | The Rockford Files | NBC |
| 1979 (31st) | Sada Thompson | Kate Lawrence | Family | ABC |

### 1980s

| Year | Actress | Role | Program | Network |
| 1980 (32nd) | Barbara Bel Geddes | Miss Ellie Ewing | Dallas | CBS |
| 1980 (32nd) | Lauren Bacall § | Kendall Warren | The Rockford Files | NBC |
| 1980 (32nd) | Mariette Hartley § | Althea Morgan | The Rockford Files | NBC |
| 1980 (32nd) | Kristy McNichol | Buddy Lawrence | Family | ABC |
| 1980 (32nd) | Sada Thompson | Kate Lawrence | Family | ABC |
| 1981 (33rd) | Barbara Babcock § | Grace Gardner | Hill Street Blues | NBC |
| 1981 (33rd) | Barbara Bel Geddes | Miss Ellie Ewing | Dallas | CBS |
| 1981 (33rd) | Linda Gray | Sue Ellen Ewing | Dallas | CBS |
| 1981 (33rd) | Veronica Hamel | Joyce Davenport | Hill Street Blues | NBC |
| 1981 (33rd) | Michael Learned | Mary Benjamin | Nurse | CBS |
| 1981 (33rd) | Stefanie Powers | Jennifer Hart | Hart to Hart | ABC |
| 1982 (34th) | Michael Learned | Mary Benjamin | Nurse | CBS |
| 1982 (34th) | Debbie Allen | Lydia Grant | Fame | NBC |
| 1982 (34th) | Veronica Hamel | Joyce Davenport | Hill Street Blues | NBC |
| 1982 (34th) | Michele Lee | Karen Fairgate | Knots Landing | CBS |
| 1982 (34th) | Stefanie Powers | Jennifer Hart | Hart to Hart | ABC |
| 1983 (35th) | Tyne Daly | Mary Beth Lacey | Cagney & Lacey | CBS |
| 1983 (35th) | Debbie Allen | Lydia Grant | Fame | NBC |
| 1983 (35th) | Linda Evans | Krystle Carrington | Dynasty | ABC |
| 1983 (35th) | Sharon Gless | Chris Cagney | Cagney & Lacey | CBS |
| 1983 (35th) | Veronica Hamel | Joyce Davenport | Hill Street Blues | NBC |
| 1984 (36th) | Tyne Daly | Mary Beth Lacey | Cagney & Lacey | CBS |
| 1984 (36th) | Debbie Allen | Lydia Grant | Fame | Syndicated |
| 1984 (36th) | Joan Collins | Alexis Colby | Dynasty | ABC |
| 1984 (36th) | Sharon Gless | Chris Cagney | Cagney & Lacey | CBS |
| 1984 (36th) | Veronica Hamel | Joyce Davenport | Hill Street Blues | NBC |
| 1985 (37th) | Tyne Daly | Mary Beth Lacey | Cagney & Lacey | CBS |
| 1985 (37th) | Debbie Allen | Lydia Grant | Fame | Syndicated |
| 1985 (37th) | Sharon Gless | Chris Cagney | Cagney & Lacey | CBS |
| 1985 (37th) | Veronica Hamel | Joyce Davenport | Hill Street Blues | NBC |
| 1985 (37th) | Angela Lansbury | Jessica Fletcher | Murder, She Wrote | CBS |
| 1986 (38th) | Sharon Gless | Chris Cagney | Cagney & Lacey | CBS |
| 1986 (38th) | Tyne Daly | Mary Beth Lacey | Cagney & Lacey | CBS |
| 1986 (38th) | Angela Lansbury | Jessica Fletcher | Murder, She Wrote | CBS |
| 1986 (38th) | Cybill Shepherd | Maddie Hayes | Moonlighting | ABC |
| 1986 (38th) | Alfre Woodard | Roxanne Turner | St. Elsewhere | NBC |
| 1987 (39th) | Sharon Gless | Chris Cagney | Cagney & Lacey | CBS |
| 1987 (39th) | Tyne Daly | Mary Beth Lacey | Cagney & Lacey | CBS |
| 1987 (39th) | Susan Dey | Grace Van Owen | L.A. Law | NBC |
| 1987 (39th) | Jill Eikenberry | Ann Kelsey | L.A. Law | NBC |
| 1987 (39th) | Angela Lansbury | Jessica Fletcher | Murder, She Wrote | CBS |
| 1988 (40th) | Tyne Daly | Mary Beth Lacey | Cagney & Lacey | CBS |
| 1988 (40th) | Susan Dey | Grace Van Owen | L.A. Law | NBC |
| 1988 (40th) | Jill Eikenberry | Ann Kelsey | L.A. Law | NBC |
| 1988 (40th) | Sharon Gless | Chris Cagney | Cagney & Lacey | CBS |
| 1988 (40th) | Angela Lansbury | Jessica Fletcher | Murder, She Wrote | CBS |
| 1989 (41st) | Dana Delany | Colleen McMurphy | China Beach | ABC |
| 1989 (41st) | Susan Dey | Grace Van Owen | L.A. Law | NBC |
| 1989 (41st) | Jill Eikenberry | Ann Kelsey | L.A. Law | NBC |
| 1989 (41st) | Linda Hamilton | Catherine Chandler | Beauty and the Beast | CBS |
| 1989 (41st) | Angela Lansbury | Jessica Fletcher | Murder, She Wrote | CBS |

### 1990s

| Year | Actress | Role | Program | Episode Submission | Network |
| 1990 (42nd) | Patricia Wettig | Nancy Krieger-Weston | Thirtysomething | "The Other Shoe" | ABC |
| 1990 (42nd) | Jill Eikenberry | Ann Kelsey | L.A. Law | — | NBC |
| 1990 (42nd) | Dana Delany | Colleen McMurphy | China Beach | — | ABC |
| 1990 (42nd) | Piper Laurie | Catherine Martell | Twin Peaks | — | ABC |
| 1990 (42nd) | Angela Lansbury | Jessica Fletcher | Murder, She Wrote | — | CBS |
| 1991 (43rd) | Patricia Wettig | Nancy Krieger-Weston | Thirtysomething | "Guns and Roses" | ABC |
| 1991 (43rd) | Dana Delany | Colleen McMurphy | China Beach | "Fever" | ABC |
| 1991 (43rd) | Sharon Gless | Rosie O'Neill | The Trials of Rosie O'Neill | "When I'm 44" | CBS |
| 1991 (43rd) | Angela Lansbury | Jessica Fletcher | Murder, She Wrote | "Thursday's Child" | CBS |
| 1992 (44th) | Dana Delany | Colleen McMurphy | China Beach | "Through and Through" | ABC |
| 1992 (44th) | Sharon Gless | Rosie O'Neill | The Trials of Rosie O'Neill | "Heartbreak Hotel" | CBS |
| 1992 (44th) | Angela Lansbury | Jessica Fletcher | Murder, She Wrote | "Night Fears" | CBS |
| 1992 (44th) | Shirley Knight § | Melanie Currants | Law & Order | "The Wages of Love" | NBC |
| 1992 (44th) | Regina Taylor | Lilly Harper | I'll Fly Away | "Coming Home" | NBC |
| 1992 (44th) | Kate Nelligan § | Sydney Carver | Road to Avonlea | "After the Honeymoon" | Disney Channel |
| 1993 (45th) | Kathy Baker | Jill Brock | Picket Fences | "Thanksgiving" | CBS |
| 1993 (45th) | Swoosie Kurtz | Alex Reed | Sisters | "Mirror, Mirror" | NBC |
| 1993 (45th) | Regina Taylor | Lilly Harper | I'll Fly Away | "Comfort and Joy" | NBC |
| 1993 (45th) | Angela Lansbury | Jessica Fletcher | Murder, She Wrote | "Night of the Coyote" | CBS |
| 1993 (45th) | Janine Turner | Maggie O'Connell | Northern Exposure | "Love's Labour Mislaid" | CBS |
| 1994 (46th) | Sela Ward | Teddy Reed | Sisters | "Land of the Lost Children" | NBC |
| 1994 (46th) | Angela Lansbury | Jessica Fletcher | Murder, She Wrote | "A Killing in Cork" | CBS |
| 1994 (46th) | Jane Seymour | Michaela Quinn | Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman | "Best Friends" | CBS |
| 1994 (46th) | Kathy Baker | Jill Brock | Picket Fences | "Guns 'R' Us" | CBS |
| 1994 (46th) | Swoosie Kurtz | Alex Reed | Sisters | "Protective Measures" | NBC |
| 1995 (47th) | Kathy Baker | Jill Brock | Picket Fences | "Frogman Returns" | CBS |
| 1995 (47th) | Claire Danes | Angela Chase | My So-Called Life | "Pilot" | ABC |
| 1995 (47th) | Angela Lansbury | Jessica Fletcher | Murder, She Wrote | "Dear Deadly" | CBS |
| 1995 (47th) | Sherry Stringfield | Susan Lewis | ER | "Motherhood" | NBC |
| 1995 (47th) | Cicely Tyson | Carrie Grace Battle | Sweet Justice | "In the Name of the Sun" | NBC |
| 1996 (48th) | Kathy Baker | Jill Brock | Picket Fences | "Bottled" | CBS |
| 1996 (48th) | Gillian Anderson | Dana Scully | The X-Files | "Piper Maru" | Fox |
| 1996 (48th) | Christine Lahti | Kate Austin | Chicago Hope | "Transplanted Affection" | CBS |
| 1996 (48th) | Angela Lansbury | Jessica Fletcher | Murder, She Wrote | "Death by Demographics" | CBS |
| 1996 (48th) | Sherry Stringfield | Susan Lewis | ER | "Take These Broken Wings" | NBC |
| 1997 (49th) | Gillian Anderson | Dana Scully | The X-Files | "Memento Mori" | Fox |
| 1997 (49th) | Roma Downey | Monica | Touched by an Angel | "Missing in Action" | CBS |
| 1997 (49th) | Christine Lahti | Kate Austin | Chicago Hope | "Back to the Future" | CBS |
| 1997 (49th) | Julianna Margulies | Carol Hathaway | ER | "The Long Way Around" | NBC |
| 1997 (49th) | Sherry Stringfield | Susan Lewis | ER | "Fear of Flying" | NBC |
| 1998 (50th) | Christine Lahti | Kate Austin | Chicago Hope | "Cabin Fever" | CBS |
| 1998 (50th) | Gillian Anderson | Dana Scully | The X-Files | "All Souls" | Fox |
| 1998 (50th) | Roma Downey | Monica | Touched by an Angel | "The Spirit of Liberty Moon" | CBS |
| 1998 (50th) | Julianna Margulies | Carol Hathaway | ER | "Carter's Choice" | NBC |
| 1998 (50th) | Jane Seymour | Michaela Quinn | Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman | "Point Blank" | CBS |
| 1999 (51st) | Edie Falco | Carmela Soprano | The Sopranos | "College" | HBO |
| 1999 (51st) | Gillian Anderson | Dana Scully | The X-Files | "Milagro" | Fox |
| 1999 (51st) | Lorraine Bracco | Jennifer Melfi | The Sopranos | "The Legend of Tennessee Moltisanti" | HBO |
| 1999 (51st) | Christine Lahti | Kate Austin | Chicago Hope | "Karmic Relief" | CBS |
| 1999 (51st) | Julianna Margulies | Carol Hathaway | ER | "The Storm (Part II)" | NBC |

### 2000s

| Year | Actress | Role | Program | Episode Submission | Network |
| 2000 (52nd) | Sela Ward | Lily Manning | Once and Again | "Pilot" | ABC |
| 2000 (52nd) | Lorraine Bracco | Jennifer Melfi | The Sopranos | "Big Girls Don't Cry" | HBO |
| 2000 (52nd) | Edie Falco | Carmela Soprano | The Sopranos | "Full Leather Jacket" | HBO |
| 2000 (52nd) | Amy Brenneman | Amy Gray | Judging Amy | "The Wee Hours" | CBS |
| 2000 (52nd) | Julianna Margulies | Carol Hathaway | ER | "Great Expectations" | NBC |
| 2001 (53rd) | Edie Falco | Carmela Soprano | The Sopranos | "Second Opinion" | HBO |
| 2001 (53rd) | Amy Brenneman | Amy Gray | Judging Amy | "The Undertow" | CBS |
| 2001 (53rd) | Marg Helgenberger | Catherine Willows | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | "Justice Is Served" | CBS |
| 2001 (53rd) | Lorraine Bracco | Jennifer Melfi | The Sopranos | "Employee of the Month" | HBO |
| 2001 (53rd) | Sela Ward | Lily Manning | Once and Again | "Second Time Around" | ABC |
| 2002 (54th) | Allison Janney | C. J. Cregg | The West Wing | "The Women of Qumar" | NBC |
| 2002 (54th) | Amy Brenneman | Amy Gray | Judging Amy | "Tidal Wave" | CBS |
| 2002 (54th) | Frances Conroy | Ruth Fisher | Six Feet Under | "Pilot" | HBO |
| 2002 (54th) | Rachel Griffiths | Brenda Chenowith | Six Feet Under | "The Secret" | HBO |
| 2002 (54th) | Jennifer Garner | Sydney Bristow | Alias | "Truth Be Told" | ABC |
| 2003 (55th) | Edie Falco | Carmela Soprano | The Sopranos | "Whitecaps" | HBO |
| 2003 (55th) | Jennifer Garner | Sydney Bristow | Alias | "Phase One" | ABC |
| 2003 (55th) | Frances Conroy | Ruth Fisher | Six Feet Under | "Nobody Sleeps" | HBO |
| 2003 (55th) | Allison Janney | C. J. Cregg | The West Wing | "The Long Goodbye" | NBC |
| 2003 (55th) | Marg Helgenberger | Catherine Willows | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | "Lady Heather's Box" | CBS |
| 2004 (56th) | Allison Janney | C. J. Cregg | The West Wing | "Access" | NBC |
| 2004 (56th) | Edie Falco | Carmela Soprano | The Sopranos | "All Happy Families..." | HBO |
| 2004 (56th) | Jennifer Garner | Sydney Bristow | Alias | "The Two" | ABC |
| 2004 (56th) | Mariska Hargitay | Olivia Benson | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | "Control" | NBC |
| 2004 (56th) | Amber Tamblyn | Joan Girardi | Joan of Arcadia | "Pilot" | CBS |
| 2005 (57th) | Patricia Arquette | Allison DuBois | Medium | "In Sickness and Adultery" | NBC |
| 2005 (57th) | Glenn Close | Monica Rawling | The Shield | "Hurt" | FX |
| 2005 (57th) | Frances Conroy | Ruth Fisher | Six Feet Under | "Coming and Going" | HBO |
| 2005 (57th) | Mariska Hargitay | Olivia Benson | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | "Charisma" | NBC |
| 2005 (57th) | Jennifer Garner | Sydney Bristow | Alias | "Before the Flood" | ABC |
| 2006 (58th) | Mariska Hargitay | Olivia Benson | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | "911" | NBC |
| 2006 (58th) | Frances Conroy | Ruth Fisher | Six Feet Under | "Everyone's Waiting" | HBO |
| 2006 (58th) | Geena Davis | Mackenzie Allen | Commander in Chief | "Pilot" | ABC |
| 2006 (58th) | Allison Janney | C. J. Cregg | The West Wing | "Institutional Memory" | NBC |
| 2006 (58th) | Kyra Sedgwick | Brenda Leigh Johnson | The Closer | "Fantasy Date" | TNT |
| 2007 (59th) | Sally Field | Nora Walker | Brothers & Sisters | "Mistakes Were Made (Part 2)" | ABC |
| 2007 (59th) | Patricia Arquette | Allison DuBois | Medium | "Be Kind, Rewind" | NBC |
| 2007 (59th) | Mariska Hargitay | Olivia Benson | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | "Florida" | NBC |
| 2007 (59th) | Minnie Driver | Dahlia Malloy | The Riches | "Pilot" | FX |
| 2007 (59th) | Edie Falco | Carmela Soprano | The Sopranos | "The Second Coming" | HBO |
| 2007 (59th) | Kyra Sedgwick | Brenda Leigh Johnson | The Closer | "Slippin'" | TNT |
| 2008 (60th) | Glenn Close | Patty Hewes | Damages | "Get Me a Lawyer" | FX |
| 2008 (60th) | Sally Field | Nora Walker | Brothers & Sisters | "History Repeating" | ABC |
| 2008 (60th) | Mariska Hargitay | Olivia Benson | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | "Undercover" | NBC |
| 2008 (60th) | Holly Hunter | Grace Hanadarko | Saving Grace | "Tacos, Tulips, Duck, and Spices" | TNT |
| 2008 (60th) | Kyra Sedgwick | Brenda Leigh Johnson | The Closer | "Manhunt" | TNT |
| 2009 (61st) | Glenn Close | Patty Hewes | Damages | "Trust Me" | FX |
| 2009 (61st) | Sally Field | Nora Walker | Brothers & Sisters | "A Father Dreams" | ABC |
| 2009 (61st) | Mariska Hargitay | Olivia Benson | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | "PTSD" | NBC |
| 2009 (61st) | Holly Hunter | Grace Hanadarko | Saving Grace | "Have a Seat, Earl" | TNT |
| 2009 (61st) | Kyra Sedgwick | Brenda Leigh Johnson | The Closer | "Cherry Bomb" | TNT |
| 2009 (61st) | Elisabeth Moss | Peggy Olson | Mad Men | "Meditations in an Emergency" | AMC |

### 2010s

| Year | Actress | Role | Program | Episode Submission | Network |
| 2010 (62nd) | Kyra Sedgwick | Brenda Leigh Johnson | The Closer | "Maternal Instincts" | TNT |
| 2010 (62nd) | Connie Britton | Tami Taylor | Friday Night Lights | "After the Fall" | DirecTV |
| 2010 (62nd) | Glenn Close | Patty Hewes | Damages | "Your Secrets Are Safe" | FX |
| 2010 (62nd) | Mariska Hargitay | Olivia Benson | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | "Perverted" | NBC |
| 2010 (62nd) | January Jones | Betty Draper | Mad Men | "The Gypsy and the Hobo" | AMC |
| 2010 (62nd) | Julianna Margulies | Alicia Florrick | The Good Wife | "Threesome" | CBS |
| 2011 (63rd) | Julianna Margulies | Alicia Florrick | The Good Wife | "In Sickness" | CBS |
| 2011 (63rd) | Kathy Bates | Harriet Korn | Harry's Law | "Innocent Man" | NBC |
| 2011 (63rd) | Connie Britton | Tami Taylor | Friday Night Lights | "Always" | DirecTV |
| 2011 (63rd) | Mireille Enos | Sarah Linden | The Killing | "Missing" | AMC |
| 2011 (63rd) | Mariska Hargitay | Olivia Benson | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | "Rescue" | NBC |
| 2011 (63rd) | Elisabeth Moss | Peggy Olson | Mad Men | "The Suitcase" | AMC |
| 2012 (64th) | Claire Danes | Carrie Mathison | Homeland | "The Vest" | Showtime |
| 2012 (64th) | Kathy Bates | Harriet Korn | Harry's Law | "Onward and Upward" | NBC |
| 2012 (64th) | Glenn Close | Patty Hewes | Damages | "I've Done Way Too Much for This Girl" | DirecTV |
| 2012 (64th) | Michelle Dockery | Lady Mary Crawley | Downton Abbey | "Episode Seven" | PBS |
| 2012 (64th) | Julianna Margulies | Alicia Florrick | The Good Wife | "Parenting Made Easy" | CBS |
| 2012 (64th) | Elisabeth Moss | Peggy Olson | Mad Men | "The Other Woman" | AMC |
| 2013 (65th) | Claire Danes | Carrie Mathison | Homeland | "Q&A" | Showtime |
| 2013 (65th) | Connie Britton | Rayna Jaymes | Nashville | "Pilot" | ABC |
| 2013 (65th) | Michelle Dockery | Lady Mary Crawley | Downton Abbey | "Episode One" | PBS |
| 2013 (65th) | Vera Farmiga | Norma Bates | Bates Motel | "First You Dream, Then You Die" | A&E |
| 2013 (65th) | Elisabeth Moss | Peggy Olson | Mad Men | "The Better Half" | AMC |
| 2013 (65th) | Kerry Washington | Olivia Pope | Scandal | "Happy Birthday, Mr. President" | ABC |
| 2013 (65th) | Robin Wright | Claire Underwood | House of Cards | "Chapter 10" | Netflix |
| 2014 (66th) | Julianna Margulies | Alicia Florrick | The Good Wife | "The Last Call" | CBS |
| 2014 (66th) | Lizzy Caplan | Virginia E. Johnson | Masters of Sex | "Pilot" | Showtime |
| 2014 (66th) | Claire Danes | Carrie Mathison | Homeland | "The Star" | Showtime |
| 2014 (66th) | Michelle Dockery | Lady Mary Crawley | Downton Abbey | "Episode One" | PBS |
| 2014 (66th) | Kerry Washington | Olivia Pope | Scandal | "The Fluffer" | ABC |
| 2014 (66th) | Robin Wright | Claire Underwood | House of Cards | "Chapter 26" | Netflix |
| 2015 (67th) | Viola Davis | Annalise Keating | How to Get Away with Murder | "Freakin' Whack-a-Mole" | ABC |
| 2015 (67th) | Claire Danes | Carrie Mathison | Homeland | "From A to B and Back Again" | Showtime |
| 2015 (67th) | Taraji P. Henson | Cookie Lyon | Empire | "Pilot" | Fox |
| 2015 (67th) | Tatiana Maslany | Various characters | Orphan Black | "Certain Agony of the Battlefield" | BBC America |
| 2015 (67th) | Elisabeth Moss | Peggy Olson | Mad Men | "Person to Person" | AMC |
| 2015 (67th) | Robin Wright | Claire Underwood | House of Cards | "Chapter 32" | Netflix |
| 2016 (68th) | Tatiana Maslany | Various characters | Orphan Black | "The Antisocialism of Sex" | BBC America |
| 2016 (68th) | Claire Danes | Carrie Mathison | Homeland | "Super Powers" | Showtime |
| 2016 (68th) | Viola Davis | Annalise Keating | How to Get Away with Murder | "There's My Baby" | ABC |
| 2016 (68th) | Taraji P. Henson | Cookie Lyon | Empire | "Rise by Sin" | Fox |
| 2016 (68th) | Keri Russell | Elizabeth Jennings | The Americans | "The Magic of David Copperfield V: The Statue of Liberty Disappears" | FX |
| 2016 (68th) | Robin Wright | Claire Underwood | House of Cards | "Chapter 49" | Netflix |
| 2017 (69th) | Elisabeth Moss | June Osborne / Offred | The Handmaid's Tale | "Night" | Hulu |
| 2017 (69th) | Viola Davis | Annalise Keating | How to Get Away with Murder | "Wes" | ABC |
| 2017 (69th) | Claire Foy | Queen Elizabeth II | The Crown | "Assassins" | Netflix |
| 2017 (69th) | Keri Russell | Elizabeth Jennings | The Americans | "Dyatkovo" | FX |
| 2017 (69th) | Evan Rachel Wood | Dolores Abernathy | Westworld | "The Bicameral Mind" | HBO |
| 2017 (69th) | Robin Wright | Claire Underwood | House of Cards | "Chapter 65" | Netflix |
| 2018 (70th) | Claire Foy | Queen Elizabeth II | The Crown | "Dear Mrs. Kennedy" | Netflix |
| 2018 (70th) | Tatiana Maslany | Various characters | Orphan Black | "To Right the Wrongs of Many" | BBC America |
| 2018 (70th) | Elisabeth Moss | June Osborne / Offred | The Handmaid's Tale | "The Last Ceremony" | Hulu |
| 2018 (70th) | Sandra Oh | Eve Polastri | Killing Eve | "I Have a Thing About Bathrooms" | BBC America |
| 2018 (70th) | Keri Russell | Elizabeth Jennings | The Americans | "The Summit" | FX |
| 2018 (70th) | Evan Rachel Wood | Dolores Abernathy | Westworld | "Reunion" | HBO |
| 2019 (71st) | Jodie Comer | Villanelle | Killing Eve | "I Hope You Like Missionary!" | BBC America |
| 2019 (71st) | Emilia Clarke | Daenerys Targaryen | Game of Thrones | "The Last of the Starks" | HBO |
| 2019 (71st) | Viola Davis | Annalise Keating | How to Get Away with Murder | "He Betrayed Us Both" | ABC |
| 2019 (71st) | Laura Linney | Wendy Byrde | Ozark | "One Way Out" | Netflix |
| 2019 (71st) | Mandy Moore | Rebecca Pearson | This Is Us | "The Graduates" | NBC |
| 2019 (71st) | Sandra Oh | Eve Polastri | Killing Eve | "You're Mine" | BBC America |
| 2019 (71st) | Robin Wright | Claire Underwood | House of Cards | "Chapter 70" | Netflix |

### 2020s

| Year | Actress | Role | Program | Episode submission | Network |
| 2020 (72nd) | Zendaya | Ruby "Rue" Bennett | Euphoria | "Made You Look" | HBO |
| 2020 (72nd) | Jodie Comer | Villanelle | Killing Eve | "Are You From Pinner?" | BBC America |
| 2020 (72nd) | Sandra Oh | Eve Polastri | Killing Eve | "Are You Leading or Am I?" | BBC America |
| 2020 (72nd) | Jennifer Aniston | Alex Levy | The Morning Show | "In the Dark Night of the Soul It's Always 3:30 in the Morning" | Apple TV+ |
| 2020 (72nd) | Olivia Colman | Queen Elizabeth II | The Crown | "Cri de Coeur" | Netflix |
| 2020 (72nd) | Laura Linney | Wendy Byrde | Ozark | "Fire Pink" | Netflix |
| 2021 (73rd) | Olivia Colman | Queen Elizabeth II | The Crown | "48:1" | Netflix |
| 2021 (73rd) | Emma Corrin | Diana, Princess of Wales | The Crown | "Fairytale" | Netflix |
| 2021 (73rd) | Uzo Aduba | Dr. Brooke Taylor | In Treatment | "Brooke — Week 5" | HBO |
| 2021 (73rd) | Elisabeth Moss | June Osborne | The Handmaid's Tale | "Home" | Hulu |
| 2021 (73rd) | Michaela Jaé Rodriguez | Blanca Rodriguez | Pose | "Series Finale" | FX |
| 2021 (73rd) | Jurnee Smollett | Letitia "Leti" Lewis | Lovecraft Country | "Holy Ghost" | HBO |
| 2022 (74th) | Zendaya | Ruby "Rue" Bennett | Euphoria | "Stand Still Like the Hummingbird" | HBO |
| 2022 (74th) | Jodie Comer | Villanelle | Killing Eve | "Don't Get Eaten" | BBC America |
| 2022 (74th) | Sandra Oh | Eve Polastri | Killing Eve | "Making Dead Things Look Nice" | BBC America |
| 2022 (74th) | Laura Linney | Wendy Byrde | Ozark | "Pound of Flesh and Still Kickin'" | Netflix |
| 2022 (74th) | Melanie Lynskey | Shauna Sadecki | Yellowjackets | "Doomcoming" | Showtime |
| 2022 (74th) | Reese Witherspoon | Bradley Jackson | The Morning Show | "Confirmations" | Apple TV+ |
| 2023 (75th) | Sarah Snook | Shiv Roy | Succession | "Tailgate Party" | HBO |
| 2023 (75th) | Sharon Horgan | Eva Garvey | Bad Sisters | "Saving Grace" | Apple TV+ |
| 2023 (75th) | Melanie Lynskey | Shauna Sadecki | Yellowjackets | "Burial" | Showtime |
| 2023 (75th) | Elisabeth Moss | June Osborne | The Handmaid's Tale | "Safe" | Hulu |
| 2023 (75th) | Bella Ramsey | Ellie | The Last of Us | "When We Are in Need" | HBO |
| 2023 (75th) | Keri Russell | Kate Wyler | The Diplomat | "Lambs in the Dark" | Netflix |
| 2024 (76th) |
| 2024 (76th) | Anna Sawai | Toda Mariko | Shōgun | "Crimson Sky" | FX |
| 2024 (76th) | Jennifer Aniston | Alex Levy | The Morning Show | "The Overview Effect" | Apple TV+ |
| 2024 (76th) | Carrie Coon | Bertha Russell | The Gilded Age | "Head to Head" | HBO |
| 2024 (76th) | Maya Erskine | Jane Smith / Alana | Mr. & Mrs. Smith | "A Breakup" | Prime Video |
| 2024 (76th) | Imelda Staunton | Queen Elizabeth II | The Crown | "Sleep, Dearie Sleep" | Netflix |
| 2024 (76th) | Reese Witherspoon | Bradley Jackson | The Morning Show | "Love Island" | Apple TV+ |