2026 Daytime Emmy Nominations Revealed as Soap Stars Lead the Way

The first 2026 Daytime Emmy nominations have been announced, with lead acting nominations going to stars from General Hospital, Beyond the Gates, Days of our Lives, The Young and the Restless, and The Bold and the Beautiful ahead of the October 30 ceremony.

2026 Daytime Emmy Nominations Revealed as Soap Stars Lead the Way

The first nominations for the 53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards have officially been announced, recognizing some of daytime television’s biggest performances over the past year.

This year’s ceremony will take place on Friday, October 30, 2026, in Los Angeles. After moving from its traditional June date last year, the awards will once again be presented as a single ceremony celebrating the best in daytime television.

The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) also confirmed that this year’s ceremony host, Lifetime Achievement honoree, and Gold & Silver Circle inductees will be announced at a later date.

Lead Actress Category Features Familiar Favorites and New Faces

The Outstanding Lead Performer in a Daytime Drama Series: Actress category includes a mix of longtime daytime legends and newer fan favorites.

The nominees are:

• Stacy Haiduk as Kristen DiMera (Days of our Lives)
• Karla Mosley as Dani Dupree (Beyond the Gates)
• Michelle Stafford as Phyllis Summers (The Young and the Restless)
• Heather Tom as Katie Logan (The Bold and the Beautiful)
• Tamara Tunie as Anita Williams Dupree (Beyond the Gates)

The category gives Beyond the Gates two nominations in its first year of Emmy eligibility, while veteran nominees Michelle Stafford, Heather Tom, and Stacy Haiduk continue their impressive daytime awards resumes.

Veteran Stars Dominate the Lead Actor Race

The Outstanding Lead Performer in a Daytime Drama Series: Actor nominees represent decades of excellence in daytime television.

The nominees are:

• Eric Braeden as Victor Newman (The Young and the Restless)
• Steve Burton as Jason Morgan (General Hospital)
• Scott Clifton as Liam Spencer (The Bold and the Beautiful)
• Thorsten Kaye as Ridge Forrester (The Bold and the Beautiful)
• Christian Jules LeBlanc as Michael Baldwin (The Young and the Restless)

The category includes multiple previous Daytime Emmy winners and several actors portraying some of the most iconic characters in soap opera history.

Several Rule Changes Take Effect This Year

The 2026 competition introduces several significant changes to the Daytime Emmy rules.

For the first time, programs submitted individual episodes rather than an overall season, bringing the competition in line with the Primetime Emmy Awards. Depending on the number of submissions received in each category, the number of nominees can now vary rather than remaining fixed.

NATAS also revised the eligibility requirements for guest performers in daytime dramas, while science and nature programming has been removed from the Daytime Emmys and redirected to other Emmy competitions.

More Nominations Still to Come

The lead acting categories were among the first awards announced, with additional nominations across daytime dramas, talk shows, entertainment news, culinary programming, instructional series, courtroom programs, and other categories still being revealed.

The 53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards will honor the best of daytime television when winners are announced on October 30.