Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series

The Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series was an award presented annually by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) and Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS). It was given annually from 1985 to 2019 to honor a young actor 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, Brian Bloom was the first winner of this award for his portrayal of Dusty Donovan on As the World Turns. The awards ceremony had not been aired on television for the prior two years, having been criticized for voting integrity. The award category was originally called Outstanding Young Man or Outstanding Juvenile Male in a Drama Series, and began using its current title in 1991. Years before this category was introduced, networks declined to broadcast the show during a time of voting integrity rumors and waning interest. Confusion rose around the criteria of the new category due to the varying ages of the nominees. Within the first set of nominees, Bloom became the youngest actor nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award at the time at age 15, while the other actors nominated in the category were over 25. The criteria were later altered, requiring that the actor be aged 25 or below.

The award was presented to 27 actors. Guiding Light had the most recipients of this award, with a total of seven wins. In 1992, Kristoff St. John became the first African-American to have garnered the award, winning for his role as Neil Winters on The Young and the Restless. Chandler Massey and Jonathan Jackson were the actors with the most awards, with a total of three each. In 2000, Jackson also became the actor to have received the most nominations, surpassing Bryan Buffington's previous record of five. Scott Clifton, Bryton James, David Lago and Joshua Morrow have also received five nominations each.

At the 2019 ceremony, Kyler Pettis became the last awarded actor in this category for his portrayal of Theo Carver, on Days of Our Lives. 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 key Indicates the winner

1980s Year Actor Program Role Network 1985 (12th) Brian Bloom As the World Turns Dusty Donovan CBS Steve Caffrey All My Children Andrew Preston Cortlandt ABC Michael E. Knight All My Children Tad Martin ABCMichael O'Leary Guiding Light Rick Bauer CBSJack Wagner General Hospital Frisco Jones ABC 1986 (13th) Michael E. Knight All My Children Tad Martin ABC Brian BloomAs the World Turns Dusty Donovan CBS Jon Hensley As the World Turns Holden Snyder CBS Vincent Irizarry Guiding Light Lujack Luvonoczek CBS Don ScardinoAnother World Chris Chapin NBC 1987 (14th) Michael E. Knight All My Children Tad Martin ABC Brian BloomAs the World Turns Dusty Donovan CBS Jon Hensley As the World Turns Holden Snyder CBS Grant ShowRyan's Hope Rick Hyde ABC Billy Warlock Days of Our LivesFrankie Brady NBC 1988 (15th) Billy Warlock Days of Our Lives Frankie Brady NBC Scott DeFreitas As the World Turns Andy Dixon CBS Andrew Kavovit As the World Turns Paul Ryan CBS Ross Kettle Santa Barbara Jeffrey Conrad NBC Robert Duncan McNeill All My ChildrenCharlie Brent ABC 1989 (16th) Justin Gocke Santa Barbara Brandon Capwell NBC Andrew Kavovit As the World Turns Paul Ryan CBSDarrell Utley Days of Our LivesBenjy Hawk NBC

1990s Year Actor Program Role Network 1990 (17th) Andrew Kavovit As the World Turns Paul Ryan CBSBryan Buffington Guiding Light Bill Lewis III CBS 1991 (18th) Rick Hearst Guiding Light Alan-Michael Spaulding CBSBryan Buffington Guiding Light Bill Lewis III CBS Justin GockeSanta Barbara Brandon Capwell NBC Andrew Kavovit As the World Turns Paul Ryan CBSKristoff St. JohnGenerations Adam Marshall NBC 1992 (19th) Kristoff St. John The Young and the Restless Neil Winters CBS Scott DeFreitas As the World Turns Andy Dixon CBS Jeff Phillips Guiding Light Hart Jessup CBSJames Patrick StuartAll My Children Will Cortlandt ABCDondre Whitfield All My ChildrenTerrence Frye ABC 1993 (20th) Monti Sharp Guiding Light David Grant CBSMatt BorlenghiAll My ChildrenBrian Bodine ABCBryan Buffington Guiding Light Bill Lewis III CBSKristoff St. JohnThe Young and the Restless Neil Winters CBSDondre Whitfield All My ChildrenTerrence Frye ABC 1994 (21st) Roger Howarth One Life to Live Todd ManningABCBryan Buffington Guiding Light Bill Lewis III CBS Scott DeFreitas As the World Turns Andy Dixon CBS Monti Sharp Guiding Light David Grant CBSDondre Whitfield All My ChildrenTerrence Frye ABC 1995 (22nd)Jonathan Jackson General HospitalLucky Spencer ABC Jason Biggs As the World Turns Pete Wendall CBSBryan Buffington Guiding Light Bill Lewis III CBSTommy Michaels All My ChildrenTim Dillon ABC 1996 (23rd) Kevin Mambo Guiding Light Marcus Williams CBS Nathan FillionOne Life to Live Joey Buchanan ABCJonathan JacksonGeneral HospitalLucky Spencer ABCShemar MooreThe Young and the Restless Malcolm Winters CBSJoshua MorrowThe Young and the Restless Nicholas Newman CBS 1997 (24th) Kevin Mambo Guiding Light Marcus Williams CBS Steve Burton General Hospital Jason Morgan ABCJonathan JacksonGeneral HospitalLucky Spencer ABCShemar MooreThe Young and the Restless Malcolm Winters CBSJoshua MorrowThe Young and the Restless Nicholas Newman CBS 1998 (25th)Jonathan Jackson General HospitalLucky Spencer ABC Jensen Ackles Days of Our LivesEric Brady NBCTyler ChristopherGeneral HospitalNikolas Cassadine ABCBryant JonesThe Young and the Restless Nate Hastings CBS Kevin Mambo Guiding Light Marcus Williams CBSJoshua MorrowThe Young and the Restless Nicholas Newman CBS 1999 (26th)Jonathan Jackson General HospitalLucky Spencer ABC Jensen Ackles Days of Our LivesEric Brady NBC Jason Winston George Sunset Beach Michael Bourne NBCBryant JonesThe Young and the Restless Nate Hastings CBSJoshua MorrowThe Young and the Restless Nicholas Newman CBSJacob Young The Bold and the Beautiful Rick Forrester CBS

2000s Year Actor Program Role Network 2000 (27th) David Tom The Young and the Restless Billy Abbott CBS Jensen Ackles Days of Our Lives Eric Brady NBC Jonathan Jackson General Hospital Lucky Spencer ABC Bryant Jones The Young and the Restless Nate Hastings CBS David Lago The Young and the Restless Raul Guittierez CBS Joshua Morrow The Young and the Restless Nicholas Newman CBS 2001 (28th) Justin Torkildsen The Bold and the Beautiful Rick Forrester CBS Josh Ryan Evans Passions Timmy Lenox NBC David Lago The Young and the Restless Raul Guittierez CBS Jesse McCartney All My Children JR Chandler ABC Paul Taylor As the World Turns Isaac Jenkins CBS David Tom The Young and the Restless Billy Abbott CBS 2002 (29th) Jacob Young General Hospital Lucky Spencer ABC Jesse McCartney All My Children JR Chandler ABC Brian Presley Port Charles Jack Ramsey ABC Justin Torkildsen The Bold and the Beautiful Rick Forrester CBS Jordi Vilasuso Guiding Light Tony Santos CBS 2003 (30th) Jordi Vilasuso Guiding Light Tony Santos CBS Chad Brannon General Hospital Zander Smith ABC David Lago The Young and the Restless Raul Guittierez CBS Kyle Lowder Days of Our Lives Brady Black NBC Aiden Turner All My Children Aidan Devane ABC 2004 (31st) Chad Brannon General Hospital Zander Smith ABC Scott Clifton General Hospital Dillon Quartermaine ABC Agim Kaba As the World Turns Aaron Snyder CBS David Lago The Young and the Restless Raul Guittierez CBS Brian Presley Port Charles Jack Ramsey ABC 2005 (32nd) David Lago The Young and the Restless Raul Guittierez CBS Scott Clifton General Hospital Dillon Quartermaine ABC Michael Graziadei The Young and the Restless Daniel Romalotti CBS Tom Pelphrey Guiding Light Jonathan Randall CBS Jacob Young All My Children JR Chandler ABC 2006 (33rd) Tom Pelphrey Guiding Light Jonathan Randall CBS Scott Clifton General Hospital Dillon Quartermaine ABC Michael Graziadei The Young and the Restless Daniel Romalotti CBS Bryton James The Young and the Restless Devon Hamilton CBS Jesse Soffer As the World Turns Will Munson CBS 2007 (34th) Bryton James The Young and the Restless Devon Hamilton CBS Van Hansis As the World Turns Luke Snyder CBS Tom Pelphrey Guiding Light Jonathan Randall CBS Jesse Soffer As the World Turns Will Munson CBS James Stevenson Passions Jared Casey NBC 2008 (35th) Tom Pelphrey Guiding Light Jonathan Randall CBS Darin Brooks Days of Our Lives Max Brady NBC Van Hansis As the World Turns Luke Snyder CBS Bryton James The Young and the Restless Devon Hamilton CBS Jesse Soffer As the World Turns Will Munson CBS 2009 (36th) Darin Brooks Days of Our Lives Max Brady NBC Blake Berris Days of Our Lives Nick Fallon NBC E.J. Bonilla Guiding Light Rafe Rivera CBS Bryton James The Young and the Restless Devon Hamilton CBS Cornelius Smith Jr. All My Children Frankie Hubbard ABC

2010s Year Actor Program Role Network 2010 (37th) Drew Tyler Bell The Bold and the Beautiful Thomas Forrester CBS Scott Clifton One Life to Live Schuyler Joplin ABC Zack Conroy Guiding Light James Spaulding CBS Drew Garrett General Hospital Michael Corinthos ABC Dylan Patton Days of Our Lives Will Horton NBC2011 (38th) Scott Clifton The Bold and the Beautiful Liam Spencer CBS Chad Duell General Hospital Michael Corinthos ABC Chandler Massey Days of Our Lives Will Horton NBC 2012 (39th) Chandler Massey Days of Our Lives Will Horton NBC Eddie Alderson One Life to Live Matthew Buchanan ABC Chad Duell General Hospital Michael Corinthos ABC Nathan Parsons General Hospital Ethan Lovett ABC 2013 (40th) Chandler Massey Days of Our Lives Will Horton NBC Max Ehrich The Young and the Restless Fenmore Baldwin CBS Bryton James The Young and the Restless Devon Hamilton CBS Freddie Smith Days of Our Lives Sonny Kiriakis NBC 2014 (41st) Chandler Massey Days of Our Lives Will Horton NBC Bryan Craig General Hospital Morgan Corinthos ABC Chad Duell General Hospital Michael Corinthos ABC Max Ehrich The Young and the Restless Fenmore Baldwin CBS Daniel Polo The Young and the Restless Jamie Vernon CBS 2015 (42nd) Freddie Smith Days of Our Lives Sonny Kiriakis NBC Bryan Craig General Hospital Morgan Corinthos ABC Max Ehrich The Young and the Restless Fenmore Baldwin CBS Tequan Richmond General Hospital TJ Ashford ABC 2016 (43rd) Bryan Craig General Hospital Morgan Corinthos ABC Nicolas Bechtel General Hospital Spencer Cassadine ABC Max Ehrich The Young and the Restless Fenmore Baldwin CBSPierson FodéThe Bold and the Beautiful Thomas Forrester CBS Tequan Richmond General Hospital TJ Ashford ABC 2017 (44th) Bryan Craig General Hospital Morgan Corinthos ABCPierson FodéThe Bold and the Beautiful Thomas Forrester CBS James Lastovic Days of Our Lives Joey Johnson NBC Tequan Richmond General Hospital TJ Ashford ABCAnthony TurpelThe Bold and the Beautiful R.J. Forrester CBS 2018 (45th)Rome Flynn The Bold and the Beautiful Zende Forrester Dominguez CBS Lucas Adams Days of Our Lives Tripp Dalton NBC Tristan Lake Leabu The Young and the Restless Reed Hellstrom CBS Casey Moss Days of Our Lives JJ Deveraux NBC Hudson West General Hospital Jake Webber ABC 2019 (46th) Kyler Pettis Days of Our Lives Theo Carver NBC Lucas Adams Days of Our Lives Tripp Dalton NBC William Lipton General Hospital Cameron Webber ABC Garren Stitt General Hospital Oscar Nero ABC Zach Tinker The Young and the Restless Fenmore Baldwin CBS

Performers with multiple wins

The following individuals received two or more wins in this category:

3 wins Jonathan Jackson Chandler Massey

2 wins Bryan Craig Michael E. Knight Kevin Mambo Tom Pelphrey

Performers with multiple nominations

The following individuals received two or more nominations in this category: 6 nominations Jonathan Jackson

5 nominations Bryan Buffington Scott Clifton Bryton James David Lago Joshua Morrow