General Hospital’s Nancy Lee Grahn brought together five women competing for the same Daytime Emmy, but the evening wasn’t about winning. Instead, it was about celebrating each other and continuing a tradition that’s lasted more than two decades.
Key Takeaways
- Nancy Lee Grahn hosted all five Outstanding Lead Actress nominees at her home ahead of the Daytime Emmys.
- The annual gathering began in 2005 when Susan Flannery brought the nominees together.
- Whoever wins Friday night’s Emmy will be responsible for hosting next year’s celebration.
Five Nominees, One Special Evening
On Wednesday, October 28, General Hospital’s Nancy Lee Grahn (Alexis) welcomed five of daytime television’s leading ladies into her home. As last year’s Outstanding Lead Actress winner, Grahn had the honor of hosting this year’s nominees before they compete at the 2026 Daytime Emmy Awards on Friday, October 30.
The guest list included The Bold and the Beautiful’s Heather Tom (Katie), The Young and the Restless‘ Michelle Stafford (Phyllis), Days of our Lives‘ Stacy Haiduk (Kristen), and Beyond the Gates stars Karla Mosley (Dani) and Tamara Tunie (Anita).
Grahn shared a video showing the actresses laughing and enjoying a catered dinner featuring roast chicken, asparagus, and heirloom tomatoes. She couldn’t resist adding a little humor to the festivities.
“We’ll see who lives to show up to the Emmys,” she joked.
A Tradition That Turns Competitors Into Friends
What makes this gathering particularly special is its history. In 2005, B&B legend Susan Flannery (Stephanie) invited her fellow Lead Actress nominees to lunch and secretly picked up the check.
When the other actresses protested, Flannery established a rule: Whoever won the Emmy would pay for the following year’s gathering.
One Life to Live’s Erika Slezak (Viki) won that year and publicly acknowledged her new responsibility during her acceptance speech. The tradition has continued ever since.
Stafford celebrated that legacy on Instagram, explaining why the evening meant so much.
“Instead of women competing against each other. Here we have five women who have become friends, lifting each other up and supporting each other,” she wrote.
It’s a refreshing reminder that the actresses who spend their days portraying some of television’s fiercest rivalries don’t necessarily bring that competition into their real lives.
Who Will Host Next Year?
Friday’s ceremony will determine more than who takes home the Outstanding Lead Actress trophy. It will also reveal which actress gets to continue Flannery’s tradition in 2027.
For Mosley and Tunie, both representing Beyond the Gates in its first year of Emmy eligibility, winning would mean taking on that responsibility for the first time. Haiduk is also celebrating her first nomination in the Lead Actress category.
Meanwhile, previous winners Tom and Stafford already know what it’s like to hear their names called.
Regardless of who wins, Grahn’s gathering ensured these five nominees will head into Friday’s ceremony with something more meaningful than a trophy: friendships that extend beyond their respective soaps.
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