While it's "an honor just to be nominated," it's no secret that every actress who throws her name into the ring for Emmy contentionis hoping that she will take home the coveted statue. The Primetime Emmy Awards celebrate the best in television every year, highlighting the best series in every genre as well as acting. Over the years, there have been female actors who have been nominated more than a dozen times, but only a few who have more than five.
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Which female actresses have the most Emmys for acting? Here's a list, ranked secondarily by the number of times they were nominated. Worth mentioning is Angela Lansbury, who didn't make the list since she has never won but has been nominated an amazing 17 times!
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Laura Linney: 4 Wins (7 Nominations)
Today, she impresses in a leading role in the Netflix drama Ozark,for which she has been nominated twice, in both 2019 and 2020. But her four wins come from previous projects, including Wild Iris (2002), Frasier (2004), and John Adams (2008).
While Linney hasn't won yet for portraying the increasingly ruthless Wendy Byrd on Ozark, she could very well turn that 7th nomination into her fifth win at this year's Emmy Awards event.
Lucille Ball: 4 Wins (13 Nominations)
In addition to her 13 total nominations, this comedic icon also won the Governor's Award at the ceremonies in 1989. Her first win was in 1953 for a category called Best Comedienne, followed by a win in 1956 for I Love Lucy then twice in a row for The Lucy Show in 1967 and 1968.
She was nominated for Best Comedienne in 1952 and 1956 as well as for Most Outstanding Personality in 1953. I Love Lucy brought her four more nominations throughout the '50s and she was nominated twice for The Lucy Show when she did not win.
Edie Falco: 4 Wins (14 Nominations)
Falco won three of her four Emmys for her role as Tony Soprano's dedicated wife Carmelo on The Sopranos,in 1999, 2001, and 2003. Her fourth and final win thus far was in 2010 for her leading role as the title character in Nurse Jackie.
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Her other nominations were for both The Sopranos and Nurse Jackie in other years as well as once for her guest role on 30 Rock (2008) and for the limited series Law & Order True Crime in 2018.
Alfre Woodard: 4 Wins (16 Nominations)
Now starring in the Apple TV+ series See, Woodard is an accomplished stage, film, and television actor who won the first Emmy she was nominated for way back in 1984 for Hill Street Blues. She won again in 1987 for L.A. Law, then a decade later in 1997 for Miss Evers' Boys. Her fourth Emmy to date was in 2003 for The Practice.
Interestingly, Woodard is not only the only Black woman on the list, but her many Emmy nominations come from a wide variety of shows that also include Word by Heart (1985), St. Elsewhere (1986), Unnatural Causes (1987), A Mother's Courage: The Mary Thomas Story (1990), The Piano Lesson (1995), Gulliver's Travels (1996), Homicide: Life on the Street (1998), The Water Is Wide (2006), Desperate Housewives(2006), Pictures of Hollis Woods (2008), True Blood(2011), and Steel Magnolias (2013). This just goes to show that while Woodard might not have the most wins, she might just be the most versatile and respected actor on this list.
Candice Bergen: 5 Wins (9 Nominations)
All five of Bergen's wins were for her best-known role as the title character on Murphy Brown; she won in 1989, 1990, 1992, 1994, and 1995. She was also nominated for that show in 1991 and 1993.
Her two other nominations were for Boston Legal in 2006 and 2008. While she reprised her most popular rolefor a 2018 revival of Murphy Brown, the series was cancelled after the first season.
Betty White: 5 Wins (21 Nominations)
An icon in the industry, White won twice for Mary Tyler Moore in 1975 and 1976 once for Golden Girls(1986), once for The John Larroquette Show (1996), and for her guest hosting role on Saturday Night Live in 2010.
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Her other nominations range from Mary Tyler Moore to The Golden Girls, Suddenly Susan, Yes, Dear, The Practice, My Name is Earl, Hot in Cleveland, and Betty White's Off Their Rockers. At age 98, White is still busy with projects: her most recent nomination was in 2014 for Betty White's Off Their Rockers, when she was a young 92.
Allison Janney: 6 Wins (12 Nominations)
Taking home am Emmy three years in a row for The West Wing from 2000-2002, then again in 2004, she earned her next one a decade later in 2014 for both Masters of Sex and Mom. Her sixth award came in 2015 for Mom, though she was nominated again that year for Masters of Sex as well.
She has been nominated for Mom every year since 2014 and earned nominations for The West Wing in 2003 and 2006 as well. Also with an Academy Award to her name, she will appear in the upcoming eighth season of Mom.
Tyne Daly: 6 Wins (16 Nominations)
While her name might not be instantly recognizable, her work certainly is. She won three years in a row for Cagney & Lacey in 1983, 1984, and 1985, then again in 1988. Her next awards were in 1995 and 1996 for Christy, followed by 2003 for Judging Amy.
Her first nomination, however, came way back in 1978 for Intimate Strangers. She was nominated two more times for Cagney & Lacey when she didn't win, five more times for Judging Amy, and once for Wings and Christy. Fans might recognize Daly as Marie Hoag in Spider-Man: Homecoming from 2017.
Mary Tyler Moore: 7 Wins (15 Nominations)
Another comedy icon, Moore took home her first two Emmys for The Dick Van Dyke Show in 1964 and 1966, followed by four more for Mary Tyler Moore, including two in 1974, one for Best Lead Actress in a Comedy Series and the other as Actress of the Year – Series. Her final one came in 1993 for Stolen Babies.
In addition to other nominations for both The Dick Van Dyke Show and Mary Tyler Moore, she was also nominated for First, You Cry in 1979, Heartsounds in 1985, and Lincoln in 1988. Moore passed away in 2017 at the age of 80.
Julia Louis Dreyfus: 8 Wins (19 nominations)
Dreyfus is on track to snag the record for most acting wins, tying for the most Emmys of any female actor. Her first was in 1996 for Seinfeld, followed by The New Adventures of Old Christine (2006). But she really became a force to be reckoned with by winning six times in a row for Veep, from 2012 to 2017.
She was only nominated once for Veep when she did not win, which was in 2019. Her other nominations include six more for Seinfeld and four more for The New Adventures of Old Christine. With Veep having ended its run, if Dreyfus continues her streak, the 59-year-old could overtake the first spot sooner rather than later.
Cloris Leachman: 8 Wins (22 Nominations)
The long-time record holder, Leachman is now tied for the number-one spot in terms of wins but still leads in total nominations. Her wins are for A Brand New Life (1973), Mary Tyler Moore (1974, 1975), Cher (1975), Screen Actors Guild 50th Anniversary Celebration (1984), Promised Land (1998), and Malcolm in the Middle (2002, 2006).
Her first nomination came in 1972 for Mary Tyler Moore and she has been nominated consistently since then for Mary Tyler Moore and Malcolm in the Middle as well as The Migrants (1974), Telly…Who Loves Ya, Baby? (1976), Phyllis (1976), It Happened One Christmas (1978), Ernie Kovacs: Between the Laughter (1984), Joan of Arcadia (2005), Mrs. Harris (2006), and Raising Hope(2011). Still acting steadily, this 94-year-old shows no signs of slowing down so she might just be able to hold on to her long-held record.
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FAQs
11 Actresses With The Most Emmy Awards, Ranked? ›
Most successful Emmys actresses 2022
Joint top of the ranking of female performers with the most Emmy wins ever are Cloris Leachman and Julia Louis-Dreyfus with eight wins each.
Most successful Emmys actresses 2022
Joint top of the ranking of female performers with the most Emmy wins ever are Cloris Leachman and Julia Louis-Dreyfus with eight wins each.
Julia Louis Dreyfus — 11 wins and 24 nominations.
Which actress was nominated for an Emmy 10 times and won 4 times? ›More about Rhea Perlman at:
Over the course of 11 seasons, Perlman was nominated for ten Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress – winning four times – and was nominated for a record seven Golden Globe Awards for Best Supporting Actress in a Television Series. Rhea Perlman is an American actress.
Saturday Night Live: 82 wins
Saturday Night Live is the most Emmy-winning show of all time. Debuting in 1975, it is also one of the longest-running shows in television history and has launched many of the biggest and most talented names in comedy.
Katharine Hepburn has won the most awards in this category, with four, followed by Frances McDormand, with three. With 17 nominations, Meryl Streep is the most nominated in this category, resulting in two wins. Jeanne Eagels is the only actress to be posthumously nominated in the category for The Letter (1929).
What female has won the most awards? ›The reigning titleholder, in the race for most oscars awards ever, remains Katharine Hepburn. Katharine Hepburn won four Oscars throughout her career. As a budding starlet, at 26-years old, Hepburn won her first Academy Award in 1933's Morning Glory.
Who has 15 Emmys? ›The Practice • All-time Emmys: 15 • Nominations: 41 • Years: 1997-2004 • Most frequent award: Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series (6) All of the Emmy awards ABC's "The Practice" won were for exceptional acting, aside from the award for Outstanding Drama Series, which it won in both 1998 and 1999, when creator ...
Who has 7 Emmys? ›Meanwhile, Ed Asner comes in just under Leachman with seven Emmys, five of which were for his portrayal of Lou Grant on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and spin-off Lou Grant. Moore herself also has seven Emmys, including a late-game win in 1993 for TV movie Stolen Babies.
Which Golden Girl has the most Emmys? ›...
List of awards and nominations received by The Golden Girls.
| Total number of wins and nominations | ||
| Totals | 37 | 122 |
| References | ||
Who became the youngest actress to win two Emmys? ›
Now, at 26 years old, Zendaya is the youngest actress to win two Emmys and the first Black woman to win the Emmy for lead actress in a drama series twice.
Who was the first woman to win an Emmy? ›A ventriloquist won the very first Emmy
At the first Emmy Awards ceremony in 1949, 20-year-old Shirley Dinsdale became the first person to receive an Emmy (along with her puppet, named Judy Splinters) for her role as a ventriloquist in a popular variety show.
'Seinfeld' alum Julia Louis-Dreyfus has earned 26 Emmy nominations, winning 11 times since 1992. She took home the Emmy for Best Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for her work on 'Veep' six times in a row, setting the record for the actor with the most wins for a single role.
Is an Oscar bigger than an Emmy? ›The Oscars are considered one of the most prestigious award shows in the world, and they are presented each year by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The Emmy Awards are also highly acclaimed, but the awards are distributed to distinguished individuals, shows, and series in the television industry.
Who holds the record for most Emmy nominations without a win? ›Angela Lansbury, Murder, She Wrote
She was nominated 12 consecutive times for every one of the show's seasons, which spanned 1984 to 1996.
...
List of awards and nominations received by Lady Gaga.
| Awards and nominations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Golden Globe Awards | 2 | 6 |
| Grammy Awards | 13 | 36 |
| MTV Video Music Awards | 18 | 40 |
| Primetime Emmy Awards | 0 | 4 |
As of 2022, Katharine Hepburn maintained her lead as the actor with the most Oscar wins of all time.
Who is the only actress to win all awards? ›Helen Hayes
She was the first woman and the first performer to win all four. Hayes was also the first person to win the Triple Crown of Acting, with singular (non-group/ensemble/company) acting wins in each of the Emmy, Oscar, and Tony awards, winning her third in 1953.
Tandy's performance garnered her Oscar acclaim that had eluded her for most of her career. At the age of 80, Tandy became the then-oldest Oscar winner in history when she took home the award for 'Best Actress' at the 62nd Academy Awards. If playback doesn't begin shortly, try restarting your device.
Who won Best Actress 3 times? ›A three-time Oscar winner, Meryl Streep is the most nominated performer in the acting categories, with 21 nominations between 1979 and 2018. Streep's total includes a record 17 best actress nominations.
Who has 8 Oscars? ›
My Fair Lady - 8
This 1964 George Cukor film won eight Oscars for best picture, director, actor, cinematography (color), set decoration (color), costume design (color), score and sound.
Linda Ronstadt – 10 Grammys
She also received a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.
The White Lotus had a stunning night, taking home 10 Emmys in total, the most overall, including best limited series, as well as picking up acting, writing and directing awards.
Who has 25 Emmy nominations? ›“Succession,” the HBO dramedy about a feuding media dynasty, landed 25 nominations for this year's Emmy Awards on Tuesday, the biggest haul of any show.
Who has 10 Emmys? ›"The Simpsons," helmed by creator Matt Groening, has won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program 10 times and the award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance 16 times.
Which artist has never won a Grammy? ›Jimi Hendrix doesn't have a Grammy, but he does have a lifetime achievement award. His only nomination was in 1970 for his rendition of "Star Spangled Banner," but sadly Jimi Hendrix died that same year without winning the Grammy. In 1992, the Recording Academy gave Hendrix a lifetime achievement award.
Who is the youngest Emmy outstanding actress? ›1. Roxana Zal. The former actress scored an Emmy in 1984 for her role as the main character, Amelia Bennet, in the TV film Something About Amelia.
Who was the first black woman to win an Emmy? ›The first Black woman to EVER win an Emmy, Gail Fisher took home the trophy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 1970 for her role on Mannix in 1970.
How old was Zendaya when she won an Emmy? ›At 26 years old, she became the youngest to win two Emmys for acting when she snagged the trophy for outstanding lead actress in a drama series Monday at the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards.
Has Zendaya ever won an Emmy? ›Zendaya is an American actress and singer who has received various accolades throughout her career, including two Primetime Emmy Awards, a Critics' Choice Television Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Satellite Award and a Saturn Award, as well as earning nominations for an AACTA Award, a Critics' Choice Movie Award and a ...
Who is the youngest black Emmy winner? ›
Zendaya, at just 26 years old, has become the first Black woman to win an Emmy Award in the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series category two times, both times earning a trophy for her performance as Rue Bennett in the hit HBO series Euphoria.
How much is a Emmy worth? ›Emmy award kudos is priceless
Regardless of the actual material cost of the $350 statuette, the publicity and reputation garnered by an award win is worth far more than even a gold statuette would cost.
- #7. ' ...
- #6. Cheers (1982–1993)
- #5. ' The Mary Tyler Moore Show' (1970–1977)
- #4. ' The Simpsons' (1989–present)
- #3. ' Frasier' (1993–2004)
- #2. ' Game of Thrones' (2011–2019)
- #1. ' Saturday Night Live' (1975–present)
- Check out other featured lists from Stacker.
Al Pacino. American actor Al Pacino (born 1940) completed the triple crown in 2004. He is a 9-time Oscar (1), 3-time Emmy (2), and 3-time Tony (2) nominee, for a total of 15 TC nominations.
What actor has 5 Emmys? ›PETER FALK: 5 wins.
Who is the most nominated daytime Emmy actress? ›Nancy Lee Grahn has been nominated six times (2003, 2004, 2005, 2017, 2018, and 2021) for her role as Alexis Davis on General Hospital. Michelle Stafford was nominated eight times, and won in 2004, for her role as Phyllis Summers on The Young and the Restless.
Who holds the title for most Oscars? ›Actress Katharine Hepburn holds the record for the most Oscars for acting, having won four Academy Awards across her career and earned a total of 12 nominations.
What are the 5 biggest Oscars? ›The "Big Five" Oscars award categories are those for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Screenplay, either Original or Adapted.
How many actors have 3 Oscars? ›Day-Lewis remains the only actor in history to have earned three Best Actor Academy Awards. There has been a numberof actos who havepicked up two awards in the past. Jack Nicholson has earned 12 nominations in total and has three wins, though not all for Best Actor.
Who refused an Emmy Award? ›The programme won several prestigious television awards and laid the foundation for Streep's career. Her performance impressed the critics and won her the award for 'Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series'. Ultimately, however, she refused to accept the award.
What female has the most Emmy nominations? ›
Angela Lansbury is the most nominated actress in the category, with twelve nominations, though she has never won the award. In 2015, Viola Davis became the first African-American woman to win the award, for her performance as Annalise Keating on How to Get Away with Murder.
What is the most nominated show of all time? ›Saturday Night Live | 306 nominations
It's no wonder that Saturday Night Live is the most-awarded show in TV history. It's been on since 1975 and has launched many of the biggest names in comedy.
Obama is the second president to have an Emmy. Dwight D. Eisenhower was given a special Emmy Award in 1956.
Did Adele win an Emmy? ›She is the recipient of twelve Brit Awards, an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, sixteen Grammy Awards, eighteen Billboard Music Awards, five American Music Awards, and two Ivor Novello Awards for Songwriter of the Year.
What Emmy did Taylor Swift win? ›Outstanding Creative Achievement In Interactive Media - Original Interactive Program - 2015.
What female actresses have won 3 Oscars? ›Ingrid Bergman and Meryl Streep both have two best actress and one best supporting actress win, and in 2021, Frances McDormand became only the second woman to win three best actress Oscars. Thelma Ritter has a record six best supporting actress nominations.
Who is the youngest Emmy winner for Best actress? ›Zendaya made history — once again — by winning the Emmy award for lead actress in a drama series for her performance in “Euphoria.” She became the youngest lead actress in a drama winner with her first win for “Euphoria” in 2020.
Who is Best Actress in the world? ›- 8 Judy Garland.
- 7 Elizabeth Taylor.
- 6 Marilyn Monroe.
- 5 Greta Garbo.
- 4 Ingrid Bergman.
- 3 Audrey Hepburn.
- 2 Bette Davis.
- 1 Katharine Hepburn.
Youngest Actress awardess are much younger than their male counterparts. Marlee Matlin won her award aged 21 for 'Children of a Lesser God. ' Jennifer Lawrence comes a close second with her win in 2012 aged 22.
Who is the youngest girls to win an Oscar? ›Tatum O'Neal – Paper Moon, 1973 (Age 10)
Fifty years on, Tatum O'Neal retains the title of being the youngest actor ever to win an Academy Award. She took home the statue when she was just 10 years old for her performance as Addie Loggins in the movie Paper Moon.