The Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series was an award presented annually by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) and the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS). It was given annually from 1985 to 2019 to honor a young actress below the age of 25, who had delivered an outstanding performance in a role while working within the daytime drama industry.
At the 12th Daytime Emmy Awards held in 1985, Tracey E. Bregman was the first winner of this award, for her role of Lauren Fenmore on The Young and the Restless. The awards ceremony had not been aired on television for the prior two years, having been criticized for voting integrity. The award was originally called Outstanding Ingenue in a Drama Series, the criteria of the new category were deemed confusing, performers of differing ages were nominated, and critics argued some were of supporting or lead actress standards. Adding to the confusion, the first winner, Bregman, and the Outstanding Supporting Actress winner that year, Beth Maitland, played characters near to the same age. The category was renamed Outstanding Juvenile Female in a Drama Series in 1989, and began using its current title in 1991. The criteria were later altered, requiring that the actress be aged 25 or below.
The award was presented to 26 actresses. The Young and the Restless has the most recipients of this award, with a total of eight. Since 2008, Jennifer Landon had been tied with Jennifer Finnigan for most wins, with three each. In 1999, Heather Tom became the most nominated actress in the category, when she was nominated a seventh time, also winning a second time that year. She was nominated again the following year, holding the title with eight nominations; however, she lost to Camryn Grimes. In 2000, Grimes also became the youngest recipient of the award, winning at the age of 10. In 2012, Christel Khalil became the first African-American and woman of color to have garnered the award, winning for her role as Lily Winters on The Young and the Restless.
At the 2019 ceremony, Hayley Erin became the last awarded actress in this category, for her role as Kiki Jerome on General Hospital. In October 2019, the NATAS decided to replace both younger actor and actress categories with a single, gender-neutral one: Outstanding Younger Performer in a Drama Series.
Winners and nominees Listed below are the winners of the award for each year, as well as the other nominees. +Table KeyIndicates the winner
1980s Year Actress Program Role Network 1985 (12th) Tracey E. Bregman The Young and the Restless Lauren Fenmore Williams Kristian Alfonso Days of Our Lives Hope Williams Melissa Leo All My Children Linda Warner Lisa Trusel Days of Our Lives Melissa Anderson Tasia Valenza All My Children Dottie Thornton 1986 (13th) Ellen Wheeler Another World Marley Love/Vicky Love Martha Byrne As the World Turns Lily Walsh Jane Krakowski Search for Tomorrow T. R. Kendall Debbi Morgan All My Children Angie Baxter Hubbard Robin Wright Santa Barbara Kelly Capwell 1987 (14th) Martha Byrne As the World Turns Lily Walsh Tracey E. Bregman The Young and the Restless Lauren Fenmore Jane Krakowski Search for Tomorrow T. R. Kendall Krista Tesreau Guiding Light Mindy Lewis Robin Wright Santa Barbara Kelly Capwell 1988 (15th) Julianne Moore As the World Turns Frannie Hughes/Sabrina Hughes Tichina Arnold Ryan's Hope Zena Brown Andrea Evans One Life to Live Tina Lord Lauren Holly All My Children Julie Chandler Robin Wright Santa Barbara Kelly Capwell 1989 (16th) Kimberly McCullough General Hospital Robin Scorpio Noelle Beck Loving Trisha Alden Martha Byrne As the World Turns Lily Walsh Anne Heche Another World Marley Hudson/Vicky Hudson
1990s Year Actress Program Role Network 1990 (17th) Cady McClain All My Children Dixie Cooney Kimberly McCullough General Hospital Robin Scorpio Charlotte Ross Days of Our Lives Eve Donovan Liz Vassey All My Children Emily Ann Sago 1991 (18th) Anne Heche Another World Marley Hudson/Vicky Hudson Tricia Cast The Young and the Restless Nina Webster Chancellor Kimberly McCullough General Hospital Robin Scorpio Ashley Peldon Guiding Light Marah Lewis Charlotte Ross Days of Our Lives Eve Donovan 1992 (19th) Tricia Cast The Young and the Restless Nina Webster Chancellor Beth Ehlers Guiding Light Harley Cooper Alla Korot Another World Jenna Norris Cady McClain All My Children Dixie Cooney Melissa Reeves Days of Our Lives Jennifer Horton Deveraux 1993 (20th) Heather Tom The Young and the Restless Victoria Newman Beth Ehlers Guiding Light Harley Cooper Melissa Hayden Guiding Light Bridget Reardon Sydney Penny Santa Barbara B. J. Walker Kelly Ripa All My Children Hayley Vaughan 1994 (21st) Melissa Hayden Guiding Light Bridget Reardon Martha Byrne As the World Turns Lily Walsh Grimaldi Sarah Michelle Gellar All My Children Kendall Hart Melina Kanakaredes Guiding Light Eleni Andros Cooper Heather Tom The Young and the Restless Victoria Newman 1995 (22nd) Sarah Michelle Gellar All My Children Kendall Hart Kimberly McCullough General Hospital Robin Scorpio Rachel Miner Guiding Light Michelle Bauer Heather Tom The Young and the Restless Victoria Newman 1996 (23rd) Kimberly McCullough General Hospital Robin Scorpio Kimberly J. Brown Guiding Light Marah Lewis Martha Byrne As the World Turns Lily Walsh Grimaldi Sharon Case The Young and the Restless Sharon Collins Heather Tom The Young and the Restless Victoria Newman 1997 (24th) Sarah Joy Brown General Hospital Carly Roberts Sharon Case The Young and the Restless Sharon Newman Christie Clark Days of Our Lives Carrie Brady Kimberly McCullough General Hospital Robin Scorpio Heather Tom The Young and the Restless Victoria Newman 1998 (25th) Sarah Joy Brown General Hospital Carly Roberts Christie Clark Days of Our Lives Carrie Brady Camryn Grimes The Young and the Restless Cassie Newman Rhonda Ross Kendrick Another World Toni Burrell Heather Tom The Young and the Restless Victoria Newman 1999 (26th) Heather Tom The Young and the Restless Victoria Newman Sarah Joy Brown General Hospital Carly Benson Camryn Grimes The Young and the Restless Cassie Newman Rebecca Herbst General Hospital Elizabeth Webber Ashley Jones The Young and the Restless Megan Dennison Sherri Saum Sunset Beach Vanessa Hart
2000s Year Actress Program Role Network 2000 (27th) Camryn Grimes The Young and the Restless Cassie Newman Adrienne Frantz The Bold and the Beautiful Amber Forrester Ashley Jones The Young and the Restless Megan Dennison Heather Tom The Young and the Restless Victoria Newman Erin Torpey One Life to Live Jessica Buchanan 2001 (28th) Adrienne Frantz The Bold and the Beautiful Amber Moore Terri Colombino As the World Turns Katie Peretti Annie Parisse As the World Turns Julia Lindsey Eden Riegel All My Children Bianca Montgomery Kristina Sisco As the World Turns Abigail Williams 2002 (29th) Jennifer Finnigan The Bold and the Beautiful Bridget Forrester Jessica Jimenez Guiding Light Catalina Quesada Lindsey McKeon Guiding Light Marah Lewis Eden Riegel All My Children Bianca Montgomery Kristina Sisco As the World Turns Abigail Williams 2003 (30th) Jennifer Finnigan The Bold and the Beautiful Bridget Forrester Adrienne Frantz The Bold and the Beautiful Amber Moore Lindsey McKeon Guiding Light Marah Lewis Erin Hershey Presley Port Charles Alison Barrington Alicia Leigh Willis General Hospital Courtney Matthews 2004 (31st) Jennifer Finnigan The Bold and the Beautiful Bridget Forrester Christel Khalil The Young and the Restless Lily Winters Eden Riegel All My Children Bianca Montgomery Alicia Leigh Willis General Hospital Courtney Matthews Lauren Woodland The Young and the Restless Brittany Hodges 2005 (32nd) Eden Riegel All My Children Bianca Montgomery Jennifer Ferrin As the World Turns Jennifer Munson Alexa Havins All My Children Babe Carey Crystal Hunt Guiding Light Lizzie Spaulding Adrianne León General Hospital Brook Lynn Ashton 2006 (33rd) Jennifer Landon As the World Turns Gwen Norbeck Mandy Bruno Guiding Light Marina Cooper Camryn Grimes The Young and the Restless Cassie Newman Christel Khalil The Young and the Restless Lily Winters Leven Rambin All My Children Lily Montgomery 2007 (34th) Jennifer Landon As the World Turns Gwen Norbeck Julie Berman General Hospital Lulu Spencer Alexandra Chando As the World Turns Maddie Coleman Stephanie Gatschet Guiding Light Tammy Layne Winslow Leven Rambin All My Children Lily Montgomery 2008 (35th) Jennifer Landon As the World Turns Gwen Norbeck Vail Bloom The Young and the Restless Heather Stevens Rachel Melvin Days of Our Lives Chelsea Brady Emily O'Brien The Young and the Restless Jana Hawkes Tammin Sursok The Young and the Restless Colleen Carlton 2009 (36th) Julie Berman General Hospital Lulu Spencer Meredith Hagner As the World Turns Liberty Ciccone Rachel Melvin Days of Our Lives Chelsea Brady Emily O'Brien The Young and the Restless Jana Hawkes Fisher Kirsten Storms General Hospital Maxie Jones
2010s Year Actress Program Role Network 2010 (37th) Julie Berman General Hospital Lulu Spencer Molly Burnett Days of Our Lives Melanie Layton Shelley Hennig Days of Our Lives Stephanie Johnson Christel Khalil The Young and the Restless Lily Winters Marnie Schulenburg As the World Turns Alison Stewart 2011 (38th) Brittany Allen All My Children Marissa Chandler Lexi Ainsworth General Hospital Kristina Corinthos Davis Emily O'Brien The Young and the Restless Jana Hawkes 2012 (39th) Christel Khalil The Young and the Restless Lily Winters Molly Burnett Days of Our Lives Melanie Layton Shelley Hennig Days of Our Lives Stephanie Johnson Jacqueline MacInnes Wood The Bold and the Beautiful Steffy Forrester 2013 (40th) Kristen Alderson General Hospital Starr Manning Hunter King The Young and the Restless Summer Newman Lindsey Morgan General Hospital Kristina Corinthos Davis Jacqueline MacInnes Wood The Bold and the Beautiful Steffy Forrester 2014 (41st) Hunter King The Young and the Restless Summer Newman Kristen Alderson General Hospital Starr Manning Linsey Godfrey The Bold and the Beautiful Caroline Spencer Kim Matula The Bold and the Beautiful Hope Logan Kelley Missal One Life to Live Danielle Manning 2015 (42nd) Hunter King The Young and the Restless Summer Newman Kristen Alderson General Hospital Kiki Jerome Camila Banus Days of Our Lives Gabi Hernandez Haley Pullos General Hospital Molly Lansing Davis 2016 (43rd) True O'Brien Days of Our Lives Paige Larson Reign Edwards The Bold and the Beautiful Nicole Avant Hunter King The Young and the Restless Summer Newman Ashlyn Pearce The Bold and the Beautiful Aly Forrester Brooklyn Rae Silzer General Hospital Emma Drake 2017 (44th) Lexi Ainsworth General Hospital Kristina Corinthos Davis Reign Edwards The Bold and the Beautiful Nicole Avant Hunter King The Young and the Restless Summer Newman Chloe Lanier General Hospital Nelle Benson Alyvia Alyn Lind The Young and the Restless Faith Newman 2018 (45th) Chloe Lanier General Hospital Nelle Benson Reign EdwardsThe Bold and the Beautiful Nicole Avant Hayley Erin General Hospital Kiki Jerome Cait Fairbanks The Young and the Restless Tessa Porter Olivia Rose Keegan Days of Our Lives Claire Brady 2019 (46th) Hayley Erin General Hospital Kiki Jerome Olivia Rose Keegan Days of Our Lives Claire Brady Victoria Konefal Days of Our Lives Ciara Brady Chloe Lanier General Hospital Nelle Benson Eden McCoy General Hospital Josslyn Jacks
Performers with multiple wins
The following individuals received two or more wins in this category: 3 wins Jennifer Finnigan Jennifer Landon
2 wins Julie Marie Berman Sarah Joy Brown Hunter King Kimberly McCullough Heather Tom
Performers with multiple nominations
The following individuals received two or more nominations in this category: 8 nominations Heather Tom
6 nominations Kimberly McCullough
5 nominations Martha Byrne Hunter King
4 nominations Camryn Grimes Christel Khalil Eden Riegel
3 nominations