Dozens of performers have accomplished the feat of bagging two Primetime Emmys in as many years for a single role, but only one such instance has involved victories across multiple genres. The history maker in that case was Uzo Aduba, who won the 2015 Best Drama Supporting Actress award for “Orange is the New Black” one year after taking home a Best Comedy Guest Actress trophy for the same show. The Netflix series’ reclassification occurred between its first and second seasons due to the TV academy’s ruling that only overtly funny one-hour shows could be considered comedic from then on.
At the time of her second win, 34-year-old Aduba was the ninth youngest champion in the history of her category. She now ranks 10th on the list, with five of the women ahead of her having been in their 20s when they won and one being the second youngest acting Emmy recipient of all time.
Since 1959, a total of 38 actresses have won for their supporting roles on continuing drama programs, beginning with Barbara Hale (“Perry Mason”). 10 of these winners have prevailed on more than one occasion.
Check out our photo gallery to find out who ranks ahead of Aduba on the list of 10 youngest Best Drama Supporting Actress Emmy winners.
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10. Uzo Aduba (‘Orange is the New Black,’ 2015)
Image Credit: Jill Greenberg/Netflix Age: 34
Role: Suzanne Warren
This role brought Aduba a total of three nominations. She later scored a Best TV Movie/Limited Series Supporting Actress win for “Mrs. America” (2020).
Other nominees:
Christine Baranski (“The Good Wife”)
Emilia Clarke (“Game of Thrones”)
Joanne Froggatt (“Downton Abbey”)
Lena Headey (“Game of Thrones”)
Christina Hendricks (“Mad Men”) -
9. Drea de Matteo (‘The Sopranos,’ 2004)
Image Credit: HBO Age: 32
Role: Adriana La Cerva
After playing this character for five seasons, de Matteo finally attracted the attention of Emmy voters. This remains her sole nomination and win.
Other nominees:
Stockard Channing (“The West Wing”)
Tyne Daly (“Judging Amy”)
Janel Moloney (“The West Wing”)
Robin Weigert (“Deadwood”) -
8. Alfre Woodard (‘Hill Street Blues,’ 1984)
Image Credit: Universal Pictures Age: 31
Role: Doris Robson
Woodard contended as full-fledged supporting player despite only appearing in three episodes of this show’s fourth season. She later won two Best Drama Guest Actress Emmys for “L. A. Law” (1987) and “The Practice” (2003) as well as a Best TV Movie/Limited Series Actress trophy for “Miss Evers’ Boys” (1997).
Other nominees:
Barbara Bosson (“Hill Street Blues”)
Piper Laurie (“St. Elsewhere”)
Madge Sinclair (“Trapper John, M.D.”)
Betty Thomas (“Hill Street Blues”) -
7. Marg Helgenberger (‘China Beach,’ 1990)
Image Credit: ABC Age: 31
Role: K.C. Koloski
Nearly a decade before she began her 12-season run on “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,” Helgenberger garnered three consecutive nominations for this series.
Other nominees:
Sherilyn Fenn (“Twin Peaks”)
Melanie Mayron (“Thirtysomething”)
Diana Muldaur (“L.A. Law”)
Susan Ruttan (“L.A. Law”) -
6. Julianna Margulies (‘ER,’ 1995)
Image Credit: NBC Age: 29
Role: Carol Hathaway
This was Margulies’s first of six consecutive nominations for this role. She earned just one more in this category before being reclassified as a lead.
Other nominees:
Barbara Babcock (“Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman”)
Tyne Daly (“Christy”)
Sharon Lawrence (“NYPD Blue”)
Gail O’Grady (“NYPD Blue”) -
5. Katherine Heigl (‘Grey’s Anatomy,’ 2007)
Image Credit: ABC Age: 28
Role: Dr. Izzie Stevens
Heigl played this role during this show’s first six seasons and bagged a trophy for her work on its third.
Other nominees:
Lorraine Bracco (“The Sopranos”)
Rachel Griffiths (“Brothers & Sisters”)
Sandra Oh (“Grey’s Anatomy”)
Aida Turturro (“The Sopranos”)
Chandra Wilson (“Grey’s Anatomy”) -
4. Julia Garner (‘Ozark,’ 2019)
Image Credit: Jackson Davis/Netflix Age: 25
Role: Ruth Langmore
Garner’s work on this series has allowed her to reap a pair of prizes from three nominations.
Other nominees:
Gwendoline Christie (“Game of Thrones”)
Lena Headey (“Game of Thrones”)
Fiona Shaw (“Killing Eve”)
Sophie Turner (“Game of Thrones”)
Maisie Williams (“Game of Thrones”) -
3. Susan Saint James (‘The Name of the Game,’ 1969)
Image Credit: MGM Studios Age: 22
Role: Peggy Maxwell
Saint James earned three bids for this series in which she served as a common link to a rotation of three leading men.
Other nominees:
Barbara Anderson (“Ironside”)
Agnes Moorehead (“Bewitched”) -
2. Barbara Anderson (‘Ironside,’ 1968)
Image Credit: NBC Age: 22
Role: Eve Whitfield
What began as a TV movie led to Anderson’s only regular series role, which resulted in a trio of nominations.
Other nominees:
Linda Cristal (“The High Chaparral”)
Tessie O’Shea (“The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde”) -
1. Kristy McNichol (‘Family,’ 1977)
Image Credit: ABC Age: 15
Role: Letitia “Buddy” Lawrence
McNichol achieved this victory on her 15th birthday and made history as the first of only two females to win an acting Emmy as a child. She earned three more consecutive nominations and won again at the age of 16 in 1979.
Other nominees:
Meredith Baxter (“Family”)
Ellen Corby (“The Waltons”)
Lee Meriwether (“Barnaby Jones”)
Jacqueline Tong (“Upstairs, Downstairs”)
