In 2017, freshman series “The Handmaid’s Tale” stormed the Primetime Emmys by taking eight prizes, including Best Drama Series. Castmates Alexis Bledel, Ann Dowd, and Elisabeth Moss all bagged trophies, marking the first instance of a series conquering all three female drama acting categories in a single year. Moss was the first Best Drama Actress champion to win for her show’s inaugural season since Claire Danes (“Homeland”) did so five years earlier.
Moss was honored for her work in the first season finale of “The Handmaid’s Tale,” in which her character, a slave in a dystopian imagining of America, begins to stand up against her oppressors in the wake of receiving life-changing news. At 35, she became one of the youngest victors in the history of her category. Indeed, the last five consecutive winners constitute half of the 10 most youthful ones here, with Moss currently filling the final slot after first entering at seventh place.
Since 1955, a total of 33 actresses have won for their lead roles on continuing drama programs, beginning with Loretta Young (“The Loretta Young Show”). Including Young, 15 of the winners have bagged two or more trophies.
Scroll through our photo gallery to find out who ranks ahead of Moss on the list of 10 youngest Best Drama Actress Emmy winners.
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10. Elisabeth Moss (‘The Handmaid’s Tale,’ 2017)
Image Credit: George Kraychyk/Hulu Age: 35
Role: June Osborne
Moss received further nominations for this series in 2018 and 2021. Her earlier role on “Mad Men” earned her five bids in this category between 2009 and 2015.
Other nominees:
Viola Davis (“How to Get Away with Murder”)
Claire Foy (“The Crown”)
Keri Russell (“The Americans”)
Evan Rachel Wood (“Westworld”)
Robin Wright (“House of Cards”) -
9. Claire Foy (‘The Crown,’ 2018)
Image Credit: Netflix Age: 34
Role: Queen Elizabeth II
Foy earned nominations for both seasons in which she played the English monarch, winning for the second. She then passed the role on to Olivia Colman, who is 10 years her senior.
Other nominees:
Tatiana Maslany (“Orphan Black”)
Elisabeth Moss (“The Handmaid’s Tale”)
Sandra Oh (“Killing Eve”)
Keri Russell (“The Americans”)
Evan Rachel Wood (“Westworld”) -
8. Michael Learned (‘The Waltons,’ 1973)
Image Credit: CBS Age: 34
Role: Olivia Walton
This was Learned’s first of four wins in this category. She brought home two more trophies for “The Waltons” in 1974 and 1976 and one for “Nurses” in 1982.
Other nominees:
Lynda Day George (“Mission: Impossible”)
Susan Saint James (“McMillan & Wife”) -
7. Dana Delany (‘China Beach,’ 1989)
Image Credit: ABC Age: 33
Role: Colleen McMurphy
Delany received a nomination for each of this series’ four seasons, winning bookend prizes for the first and last (1992).
Other nominees:
Susan Dey (“L.A. Law”)
Jill Eikenberry (“L.A. Law”)
Linda Hamilton (“Beauty and the Beast”)
Angela Lansbury (“Murder, She Wrote”) -
6. Claire Danes (‘Homeland,’ 2012)
Image Credit: Showtime Age: 33
Role: Carrie Mathison
This was Danes’s first of five consecutive bids for this series. She prevailed again on her second outing in 2013.
Other nominees:
Kathy Bates (“Harry’s Law”)
Glenn Close (“Damages”)
Michelle Dockery (“Downton Abbey”)
Julianna Margulies (“The Good Wife”)
Elisabeth Moss (“Mad Men”) -
5. Tatiana Maslany (‘Orphan Black,’ 2016)
Image Credit: Steve Wilkie/BBC America Age: 30
Role: Various
Between 2015 and 2018, Maslany garnered three nominations for this sci-fi series in which she played a multitude of genetically identical clones.
Other nominees:
Claire Danes (“Homeland”)
Viola Davis (“How to Get Away with Murder”)
Taraji P. Henson (“Empire”)
Keri Russell (“The Americans”)
Robin Wright (“House of Cards”) -
4. Gillian Anderson (‘The X-Files,’ 1997)
Image Credit: Fox Age: 29
Role: Dana Scully
Anderson competed in this category every year between 1996 and 1999 and scored a win on her second try.
Other nominees:
Roma Downey (“Touched by an Angel”)
Christine Lahti (“Chicago Hope”)
Julianna Margulies (“ER”)
Sherry Stringfield (“ER”) -
3. Lindsay Wagner (‘The Bionic Woman,’ 1977)
Image Credit: ABC Age: 28
Role: Jaime Sommers
Wagner has only one Emmy nomination to her name, but it proved to be all she needed to pull off a victory. She also held the top spot on this list longer than anyone else (42 years).
Other nominees:
Angie Dickinson (“Police Woman”)
Kate Jackson (“Charlie’s Angels”)
Michael Learned (“The Waltons”)
Sada Thompson (“Family”) -
2. Jodie Comer (‘Killing Eve,’ 2019)
Image Credit: BBC America Age: 26
Role: Villanelle
This was Comer’s first of three bids for this role. She competed each time against her costar, Sandra Oh, who is 21 years her senior.
Other nominees:
Emilia Clarke (“Game of Thrones”)
Viola Davis (“How to Get Away with Murder”)
Laura Linney (“Ozark”)
Mandy Moore (“This Is Us”)
Sandra Oh (“Killing Eve”)
Robin Wright (“House of Cards”) -
1. Zendaya (‘Euphoria,’ 2020)
Image Credit: HBO Age: 24
Role: Rue Bennett
This was the first Emmy nomination and win for Zendaya. She began her TV acting career at age 14 as one of the stars of the Disney Channel series “Shake It Up.”
Other nominees:
Jennifer Aniston (“The Morning Show”)
Olivia Colman (“The Crown”)
Jodie Comer (“Killing Eve”)
Laura Linney (“Ozark”)
Sandra Oh (“Killing Eve”)
