The Bold and the Beautiful‘s Lisa Yamada made Emmy history on Friday, October 17, becoming the first winner of the newly minted Emerging Talent award and the first network soap star of Asian descent to win a Daytime Emmy in an acting category. Viewers caught a glimpse of one of the performances that clinched Yamada’s win during the ceremony. But there was more to her reel than the moment Luna told her mother, Poppy, that she’d grown up craving stability and a loving family.
In a joint interview with Michael Fairman that the actress did with her co-star Christian Weissmann (who was also nominated!) ahead of the Emmys, Yamada shared the scenes she included in her reel. She joked, “Honestly, all of the scenes where I’m sobbing crying, I just put in there.”
Key Takeaways
- What was in Lisa Yamada’s Daytime Emmy reel
- Some of the soap star’s work nearly missed the submission deadline
- Yamada’s 2025 scenes are making a strong case for another nomination
Luna’s Bad Girl Turn Made For Award-Winning Performances
Yamada has been a rising star on B&B since Luna Nozawa stumbled her way into the Forrester Mansion with bolts of fabric bigger than her. But the twist that the fashion intern’s good girl persona was all an act hiding a murderous narcissist’s true character gave soap fans a real understanding of the actress’ range.
Her performances in 2024 walked the knife’s edge of deliciously villainous and over-the-top. But the writers had no interest in making her a moustache-twirler with little depth. No, Luna would be out of her mind but also contain multitudes. She could kill two characters in cold blood and sob like a hurt little girl over the neglect she suffered while being raised by Poppy (Romy Park).
The Material That Won Lisa Yamada Her First Emmy
The actress deftly handled the switch no one, not even her, saw coming. So it’s no surprise that’s the material Yamada put in her reel. She told Fairman, “I submitted all of the post-Luna [is] evil stuff. The cage scenes, me pleading for my life bruised up in prison, and me getting caught.”
The scene of her—in the now infamous green and black leather get-up—telling Poppy why she tried to frame her own mother for murder, played during the 52nd Daytime Emmy Awards ceremony when she won for Outstanding Emerging Talent.
Paired with her work opposite Wood, Yamada certainly had enough in her reel to snag the award, but there was a moment that wouldn’t have made the cut if it aired even a day after the January 1, 2025 submission deadline. That’s her “bruised up” scene where Luna begged Bill (Don Diamont) to get her out of jail and he did.
Bill’s decision got the ball rolling for Luna to wreak even more havoc. Being able to include the footage brought Luna’s story full circle and made for an even stronger entry for Yamada.
The Future Looks Bright For Lisa Yamada
The train hasn’t slowed down a bit for the actress who has been in the thick of B&B’s storylines. Currently, her character Luna is pregnant with Will’s (Crew Morrow) baby and back in jail for her crimes.
Yamada will once again have a lot of material to choose from for next year’s Daytime Emmy Awards. 2025 has seen Luna find out her cousin Finn (Tanner Novlan) is also the father she’d always dreamed she’d have, she once again held Steffy (Jacqueline MacInnes Wood) hostage and got shot by Liam (Scott Clifton) for her efforts, and this baby storyline is just getting started.
A lot can happen with a little over two months left in the year. We may have yet to see Yamada’s best work for 2025. But you can bet the strength of her acting alone makes her a real contender for a second nomination.
