Prior to the firm establishment of the Best Drama Actress Emmy category in 1966, leading women on continuing series typically competed directly against each other regardless of genre. These mixed contests happened to produce equal amounts of comedic and dramatic winners during the 1950s and 1960s, with Eve Arden (“Our Miss Brooks”) and Loretta Young (“The Loretta Young Show”) being the respective first ones to represent the formats. Young, who triumphed in 1955, 1957, and 1959, remains one of only six women to rack up three or more wins in this category.
Each episode of Young’s eponymous show, like those of 1950s programs “Hallmark Hall of Fame” and “Alcoa Theatre,” was a stand-alone special featuring a unique storyline and set of characters. For all eight seasons, Young consistently acted as the wraparound host and would often star in the main fictional portions of the episodes. Her last Emmy victory at age 46 gave her the distinction of being the oldest Best Drama Actress winner at the time. She lost the position just seven years later and has since dropped to 10th place on the list.
Since Young’s initial win in 1955, a total of 33 actresses have won Emmys for their lead roles on continuing drama programs. Including Young, 15 of the winners have triumphed multiple times.
Check out our photo gallery to find out who ranks ahead of Young on the list of 10 oldest Best Drama Actress Emmy winners.
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10. Loretta Young (‘The Loretta Young Show,’ 1959)
Image Credit: NBC Age: 46
Role: Various
Young hosted and starred on this anthology series for eight seasons and garned as many nominations. Her first two wins came in 1955 and 1957.
Other nominees:
Phyllis Kirk (“The Thin Man”)
June Lockhart (“Lassie”)
Jane Wyman (“Fireside Theatre”) -
9. Olivia Colman (‘The Crown,’ 2021)
Image Credit: Ollie Upton/Netflix Age: 47
Role: Queen Elizabeth II
Colman inherited this regal role from 2018 champ Claire Foy, who is 10 years her junior. She has now passed it on to Imelda Staunton, who is 18 years her senior.
Other nominees:
Uzo Aduba (“In Treatment”)
Emma Corrin (“The Crown”)
Elisabeth Moss (“The Handmaid’s Tale”)
Michaela Jaé Rodriguez (“Pose”)
Jurnee Smollett (“Lovecraft Country”) -
8. Julianna Margulies (‘The Good Wife,’ 2014)
Image Credit: CBS Age: 48
Role: Alicia Florrick
Margulies collected two trophies from four bids for this series, winning first in 2011. Her earlier role on “ER” also brought her four nominations in this category between 1997 and 2000.
Other nominees:
Lizzy Caplan (“Masters of Sex”)
Claire Danes (“Homeland”)
Michelle Dockery (“Downton Abbey”)
Kerry Washington (“Scandal”)
Robin Wright (“House of Cards”) -
7. Christine Lahti (‘Chicago Hope,’ 1998)
Image Credit: CBS Age: 48
Role: Dr. Kate Austin
Lahti’s only Emmy win came from her third of four consecutive nominations for this medical drama.
Other nominees:
Gillian Anderson (“The X-Files”)
Roma Downey (“Touched by an Angel”)
Julianna Margulies (“ER”)
Jane Seymour (“Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman”) -
6. Viola Davis (‘How to Get Away with Murder,’ 2015)
Image Credit: Craig Sjodin/ABC Age: 50
Role: Annalise Keating
After triumphing on her very first outing, Davis went on to collect three more bids in this category between 2016 and 2019.
Other nominees:
Claire Danes (“Homeland”)
Taraji P. Henson (“Empire”)
Tatiana Maslany (“Orphan Black”)
Elisabeth Moss (“Mad Men”)
Robin Wright (“House of Cards”) -
5. Sada Thompson (‘Family,’ 1978)
Image Credit: ABC Age: 50
Role: Kate Lawrence
Thompson received four nominations for this role and won on her second try. She was a double nominee in 1978, having also earned recognition for her performance in the TV movie “Our Town.”
Other nominees:
Melissa Sue Anderson (“Little House on the Prairie”)
Fionnula Flanagan (“How the West Was Won”)
Kate Jackson (“Charlie’s Angels”)
Michael Learned (“The Waltons”)
Susan Sullivan (“Having Babies”) -
4. Barbara Bel Geddes (‘Dallas,’ 1980)
Image Credit: CBS Age: 57
Role: Ellie Ewing
Bel Geddes played the Ewing family’s matriarch for 12 of this series’ 14 seasons and won for its second. Due to health concerns, she temporarily passed the role to Donna Reed for the duration of the eighth season.
Other nominees:
Lauren Bacall (“The Rockford Files”) – guest
Mariette Hartley (“The Rockford Files”) – guest
Kristy McNichol (“Family”)
Sada Thompson (“Family”) -
3. Barbara Stanwyck (‘The Big Valley,’ 1966)
Image Credit: ABC Age: 58
Role: Victoria Barkley
This was Stanwyck’s first of three bids for this series. She had previously won in this category for her single-season anthology series, “The Barbara Stanwyck Show,” in 1961.
Other nominees:
Anne Francis (“Honey West”)
Barbara Parkins (“Peyton Place”) -
2. Sally Field (‘Brothers & Sisters,’ 2007)
Image Credit: Craig Sjodin/ABC Age: 60
Role: Nora Walker
Over four decades after she made her small screen debut on “Gidget,” Field won on her first nomination for a regular series role and went on to earn two more consecutive bids.
Other nominees:
Patricia Arquette (“Medium”)
Minnie Driver (“The Riches”)
Edie Falco (“The Sopranos”)
Mariska Hargitay (“Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”)
Kyra Sedgwick (“The Closer”) -
1. Glenn Close (‘Damages,’ 2009)
Image Credit: FX Age: 62
Role: Patty Hewes
This role brought Close four nominations and a pair of wins, the first of which came in 2008. She was first recognized in this category in 2005 for her one-season performance on “The Shield.”
Other nominees:
Sally Field (“Brothers & Sisters”)
Mariska Hargitay (“Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”)
Holly Hunter (“Saving Grace”)
Elisabeth Moss (“Mad Men”)
Kyra Sedgwick (“The Closer”)
