Big Shakeup: Key Category Axed From Daytime Emmys

It’s not too soon to start talking about the 51st Annual Daytime Emmy Awards. Sure, the 50th gala was just a month and a half ago, but now comes word that there is a big change involving soap operas coming to the kudo fest. A new rule means that one less actor will be walking home with a gold statuette starting this year.

Daytime Emmy Awards: Who Won’t Get the Gold

There will still be five acting categories at the Daytime Emmys but the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) has ruled that it is eliminating the category of Outstanding Younger Performer in a Daytime Drama.

“Programming is always changing, and NATAS continues to adapt its competition rules to reflect these shifts in the television landscape,” said Adam Sharp, President of NATAS. “We’re looking forward to gathering again at the 51st Daytime Emmys to celebrate all the nominees and the entertaining and enlightening programs they create.”

This move has long been championed by many ever since the industry went from having eight shows circa 2009 to four soap operas in 2012. “I don’t think there should be younger actor or actress categories,” Christian Le Blanc (Michael, The Young and the Restless), a three-time Daytime Emmy-winner, told Variety in 2011. “If you’re that good, then you can be up there with [older actors], the way Haley Joel Osment (The Sixth Sense) and Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit) have been at the Oscars.”

The elimination of the category doesn’t mean that younger performers aren’t eligible for Daytime Emmys. NATAS says that Younger Performer actors/candidates remain eligible to enter Lead, Supporting, or Guest categories.

Who Got the Gold?

The younger acting categories have gone through numerous changes over the years. In 1985, as there appeared to be more and more younger characters in adult-type storylines on soaps, NATAS implemented the categories Outstanding Young Man and Outstanding Ingenue in a Daytime Drama Series. The first victors were, respectively, Brian Bloom for playing Dusty on As the World Turns and Tracey Bregman for playing Lauren on Y&R.

Actresses who’ve taken home the gold in this category include Oscar winner Julianne Moore (ex-Frannie/ex-Sabrina, ATWT) in 1988, the late Anne Heche (ex-Vicky/ex-Marley, Another World) in 1991, and Hayley Erin (ex-Kiki, GH; now, Claire, Y&R) in 2019. Famous nominees in this category include Oscar winner Melissa Leo (ex-Linda, AMC) in 1985, and Robin Wright (ex-Kelly, Santa Barbara) in 1987.

In 1989, the Young Man category was renamed Outstanding Juvenile Male in a Drama Series, and the Ingenue category was changed to Outstanding Juvenile Female in a Drama Series. Two years later, changes came again when the categories were called Outstanding Young Actor in a Drama Series and Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series. In 2020, the two categories merged into an award titled Outstanding Younger Performer in a Drama Series. Eden McCoy (Josslyn, GH) won the statuette in 2023. Click here for a refresher on who else was victorious.

Actors who’ve won the award include Michael E. Knight (ex-Tad, All My Children; now, Martin, GH) in 1986 and 1987; Jonathan Jackson (ex-Lucky, GH) in 1998 and 1999, Kevin Mambo (ex-Marcus, Guiding Light) in 1995 and 1996; Jordi Vilasuso (ex-Tony, GL) in 2003, and Bryton James (Devon, Y&R) in 2007.

Daytime Emmys Calendar

NATAS says that the Call for Entries for the 51st Annual Daytime Emmy Awards opens today, February 1. A date for the 51st Annual Daytime Emmys hasn’t been announced (though there’s buzz the ceremony may be held in mid-June as it has been in past years). Nominations are set to be announced the week of April 15.

Do you think this is a good call by NATAS? Who have been some of your favorite Daytime Emmy winners in the various younger categories? Sound off in the comments section below.