The Children's and Family Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Performer in a Preschool, Children's or Young Teen Program is an award which honors performances in both television series and made-for-television/streaming films. The category was established at the 1st Children's and Family Emmy Awards in 2022, and is open to performers of all genders. The current holder of the award is Joe Locke, who won at the 4th Children's and Family Emmy Awards for his role as Charlie Spring in Netflix series Heartstopper.
Background On November 17, 2021, the NATAS announced the creation of the Children's and Family Emmy Awards to recognize the best in children's and family television. The organization cited an "explosive growth in the quantity and quality of children’s and family programming" as justification for a dedicated ceremony. Many categories of the awards were previously presented at the Daytime Emmy Awards. Performers in programming aimed towards children and young people were previously honored with the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in Children's Programming, which was presented under various names however, following the announcement of the establishment of the Children's and Family Emmy Awards, these categories were discontinued.
The original name for the category was Outstanding Lead Performance in a Preschool, Children's or Young Teen Program, and the award received its current name as of the 3rd Children's and Family Emmy Awards.
Winners and nominations 2020s
Year Actor Role Program Network Refs 2022(1st) Kit Connor Nick Nelson Heartstopper Netflix NATAS ANNOUNCES NOMINATIONS FOR FIRST ANNUAL CHILDREN’S & FAMILY EMMYS - The Emmys2022 Children's & Family Emmys: Full List of Nominations – The Hollywood ReporterNetflix Leads First-Ever Children's & Family Emmys Nominations Tally – Variety Loretta Devine M'Dear Family Reunion Netflix Mark Feuerstein Watson Brewer The Baby-Sitters Club Joe Locke Charlie Spring Heartstopper Alicia Silverstone Elizabeth Thomas-Brewer The Baby-Sitters Club Rueby Wood Nate Better Nate Than EverDisney Receives 86 Children’s & Family Emmy® Award Nominations – The Walt Disney Company Disney+ 2023(2nd) Tony Hale Mr. Benedict The Mysterious Benedict Society Disney+ Tim Allen Scott Calvin/Santa The Santa Clauses Disney+ Ella Bright Darrell Rivers Malory Towers BYU TV Veda Cienfuegos Emily Circuit Breakers Apple TV+ Gina Rodriguez Momma Lost Ollie Netflix2024(3rd)Christian SlaterMulgarathThe Spiderwick ChroniclesThe Roku Channel Lola Blue Addie Darrow A Kind of SparkBYU TV Ella Bright Darrell Rivers Malory Towers Justin Long Mr. Bratt Goosebumps Disney+ Raven-Symoné Raven Baxter Raven's Home Disney Channel2025(4th) Joe Locke Charlie Spring HeartstopperNetflix Kit Connor Nick Nelson Heartstopper Netflix Danya Griver Gwendoline Mary Lacy Malory Towers BYUtv Lisa Kudrow Penelope Time Bandits Apple TV+ Jude Law Jod Na Nawood Star Wars: Skeleton Crew Disney+ David Schwimmer Anthony Brewer Goosebumps: The Vanishing Disney+ Nina Toussaint-White Sarah Robinson The Primrose Railway Children BYUtv
Performers with multiple nominations 2 nominations Ella Bright
Kit Connor
Joe Locke
Programs with multiple nominations 4 nominations Heartstopper
3 nominations Malory Towers
2 nominations The Baby-Sitters Club
Networks with multiple nominations 8 nominations Netflix 7 nominations Disney+/Disney Channel 5 nominations BYUtv 2 nominations Apple TV+
Superlatives +SuperlativePerformerProgramYearAgeOldest NomineeLoretta DevineFamily Reunion202273Youngest NomineeRueby WoodBetter Nate Than Ever15
References