Days Of Our Lives
(VOTE) Who Should Win Outstanding Lead Actress in a Daytime Drama Series at the 51st Annual Daytime Emmy Awards?
The 51st annual Daytime Emmys are upon us and to get you ready for daytime’s biggest night of the year, throughout the week, Michael Fairman TV will be asking you our readers, soap opera fans, and viewers who you think should take home the gold this Friday night in our Emmy polls.
One of the hotly contested categories is the Outstanding Lead Actress category which features several previous Daytime Emmy winners, and a few that have never won the prize.
Nominated are: two-time Daytime Emmy winner, Tamara Braun (Ava, Days of our Lives), Daytime Emmy winner, Finola Hughes (Anna, General Hospital), first-time Lead Actress nominee, Annika Noelle (Hope, The Bold and the Beautiful), Daytime Emmy winner, Cynthia Watros (Nina, General Hospital), making this her third-time as a Lead Actress nominee, Katherine Kelly Lang (Brooke, The Bold and the Beautiful) and two-time Daytime Emmy winner, Michelle Stafford (Phyllis, The Young and the Restless).

Photo: NATAS
The powerful women nominated in this category each delivered outstanding reels as deemed by their peers. Now, its time to find out who actually gets to become a 2024 Emmy winner, when the envelopes are ripped open live during the 51st annual Daytime Emmy Awards on Friday night, June 7th on CBS and streaming on Paramount+ beginning at 8 pm ET/delayed on the West Coast and also airing at 8 pm PT).
Cast your vote below in our Lead Actress poll, and then let us know in the comment section who you think deserves to win the coveted Lead Actress Emmy.
And in case you missed it, several of the nominated stars chatted with the Michael Fairman Channel about their reels and their reaction to their nominations, and you can find that below the poll as well.
Watros if I could vote Been watching her since GL days
Annika Nichol Smith as Hope on B& B
I agree!
It’s Annika Noelle..No Smith. Maybe you were thinking of Anna Nicole Smith, who has been dead many years.
LMAO
Wasn’t she great as Annie and she got so hilarious right before she left the show I was so disappointed when she left!
Agreed! Cynthia made me HATE Nina, so she must be doing something right!! I have to admit, I’m a lot more fond of the character now that she’s not Mrs Corinthos.
I agree now shes not with Sonny, I can stand her, and dislike Ava. Lol And, she is fun to watch. You never know what she’s gonna do next. Carly had to gulp yesterday when Drew told her he tagged along with Nina to meet the Congressman. Lol
I think a lot of fans felt like she was taking Sonny away from Carly.
Weird. Cynthia made me love Nina because she can play shades of nuances while Stafford just mugged it up like she always does. Sonny came alive with Nina, and finally was at peace and happy.
The resentment from Carly fans would always cause them to hate “Nina.”
And then the more vicious viewers decided that Stafford was more attractive than Watros (not in my opinion), so they threw that into the mix to attack “Nina.”
I agree; Sonny did seem happier, more relaxed with Nina. Unless Stafford had learned to tame down her performances I can’t see how that would’ve worked with Sonny; she was way too manic. Watros doesn’t play her that way. As for the couple, I loved how loyal Sonny was to Nina, until he decided to go to Michael and Willow’s wedding without her. That to me was the ultimate betrayal; I think she should’ve dumped him instead of once again having to hide her tears and put on a happy face for him.
I agree, Watros, hands down
1 Stafford
2 Watros
3 Braun
4 Noelle
5 Lang Lol
6 Hughes
Noelle or Watros. I enjoy all these actresses work, but since these are the choices Noelles really went through alot this past year, & Watros was really great also.
I would be happy to see Finola or Cynthia win from GH, but I’m rooting for Finola. Her one and only previous win was in 1991, so she’s long overdue after 33 years. And she was brilliant in the storyline where Anna shot Charlotte, which are the scenes I would assume she submitted. Particularly the scene where Anna tore Valentin a new one in the stairwell at the hospital.
Once again, I miss the days when NATAS would release the Emmy reels on YouTube, or at the very least a written synopsis of the scenes that each nominee submitted, so we the fans can judge for ourselves. That’s especially beneficial for people like myself that only watch one soap (GH), and therefore not familiar with the work of the other nominees. I’m not sure why they stopped doing that.
The anacronym is creepy – NATAS??? Yikes!
What’s creepy about that?
Why is that creepy?
I suspect Tank thinks it looks like my most unholy name spelled backwards. You know…. just like all those rumors about backwards messages on rock albums in the 70s & 80s, and how I made Led Zeppelin suffer in a little tool shed and all that.
Of course I have no connection to NATAS. If I did, there wouldn’t be any CBS soaps up for nomination, because they don’t air down here in Hell.
It’s a lot easier than having to type out National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, lol.
How dumb worry about something else please
Finola
Finola or Cynthia. They deserve it!
Cynthia Watros! This was her year to finally win.
Though, I have a feeling that underdog Tamara Braun May very well win!!!!
Wish Ari Zucker was submitted, perhaps next year.
They did that woman WRONG!!!
Congrats to her and Christian on the upcoming nuptials!
KKL could get it as a consolation prize for hanging in there all these years but really she sounds like an imbecile sometimes!
Well, Ridge is giving her, her old job back, so she won’t be hanging around like the Queen Bee or minding everyone’s business.
All of these fine actresses are deserving except KKL.
Or Stafford. She had a terrible year.
Stafford has been awful since she returned to the role of Phyllis. I soooo miss Gina’s version of the character. Gina brought depth and nuance and maturity. Stafford is a spoiled brat, as is her daughter (though I do prefer Alison’s portrayal above Hunter King). These storylines are exhausting to watch and thus I fast forward through any of their whiny dialogue.
Tamara Brawn
Anna on GH should win.outstanding actress
Anna is good but I sure dont like her recent story lines, turning on Sonny, being one of them.
On the other horn, now that she knows Val the Bastard has been running Pikeman and was behind the recent attempt to kill Jason and frame Sonny for it she might be about to deliver some material worthy of next year”s Emmy reel. And she doesn’t even know he messed with Sonny’s meds yet.
Noelle absolutely!!
I agree. I love what Noelle is bringing to the character of Hope. She is no longer the shy quiet little mouse she use to be. She is giving just as good as she gets as far as Steffie is concerned. There have been some good scenes between Steffie and Hope. I hope it continues.
I agree. She has had some really good story lines and I thought, she was superb.
Waltros
Hughes or Noelle
finola hughes all the way !
Ariana zucker
I think Annika Noelle, aka Hope Logan. I think Annika Noelle has been terrific & is overwhelmingly my favorite. She’s the reason why I watch the B&B. She makes me cry & laugh. Which is two of the most important attributes for a Actress. I truly hope she wins this year.
WTH! Michelle Stafford won Lead Actress … ??? Unbelievable! I was positive that this was Cynthia or Fiona’s year. Tamara Braun for me was the underdog, I would have been happier for her than Michelle winning. A lot of the lead and supporting categories were mixed bags, in my opinion.
Wish Maura West was submitted for Supporting Actress.
West has always submitted in lead. Ava, however, in recent years might be considered a strong supporting character (but usually the storylines revolve around her – making her lead).
Nancy & Genie’s wins have all come in supporting (while losing when they submit as lead). Maura’s won 3 times as lead, so submitting as supporting might feel off at this point.
Breaking News
53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards Presenters Announced

The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) revealed on Thursday, the lineup of presenters for 53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards taking place on Friday, October 30, 2026, at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, California.
The ceremony will stream live on the NATAS YouTube channel at YouTube.com/@theemmys and watch.TheEmmys.tv.
Scheduled to present from the current soaps are: Katelyn MacMullen (Willow, General Hospital), Delon de Metz (Zende, The Bold and the Beautiful), James Preston (Nick, The Bay), Paul Telfer (Xander, Days of our Lives), Tamara Tunie (Anita, Beyond the Gates) and Susan Walters (Diane, The Young and the Restless).

Photo: NATAS
In addition soap alums, Crystal Chappell, Lesli Kay, Joe Lando, Eva LaRue, who is also a nominee this year, A Martinez, Juliet Mills, and Alicia Leigh Willis, will also be on hand to present.
The ceremony which celebrates nominated lifestyle programs and dramas will also include presenters: Eva zu Beck (Superskilled with Eva zu Beck), Danielle Chang (Lucky Chow), Sunny Hostin (The View), Derek Hough (Extra), Pati Jinich (Pati’s Mexican Table), Star Jones (Divorce Court), Michael Jr. (Stand Up and Do Something), Judge Greg Mathis (Mathis Court with Judge Mathis), Keke Palmer (Glam Through the Ages), Nischelle Turner (Entertainment Tonight), and Andrew Zimmern (Andrew Zimmern’s Wild Game Kitchen).
The 2026 Daytime Emmy Awards will bring together an exciting mix of presenters representing the full spectrum of daytime television,” said Adam Sharp, President & CEO of NATAS. “From familiar faces in daytime drama to the personalities and creative voices behind talk shows and lifestyle programming, this year’s lineup reflects the breadth of talent that makes daytime so special. We look forward to celebrating the people who continue to shape the genre.”
Matthew Hoffman (Love Island USA, Cheap A$$ Beach Houses) will serve as the ceremony’s Voice of God, bringing his signature comedic narration to the evening’s celebrations. As previously announced, Lifetime Achievement honoree Genie Francis (Laura, General Hospital) will be presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award by her husband, Jonathan Frakes.
So, what do you think about the list of presenters for the 2026 Daytime Emmy Awards? Let us know who you are looking forward to seeing via the comment section below.
Days Of Our Lives
‘Days of our Lives’ Reveals Kyle Pryor Cast as Dominic Marino

For months now, Days of our Lives has teased the character of Dominic Marino. In recent weeks, viewers learned that Marino is on the down low working with Sami Brady’s (Alison Sweeney) apparent fiancé ‘Dante Vitali (Franco LoPresti), and that he is the never-before-heard-of child of Stefano DiMera (the late Joseph Mascolo) and Marlena Evans (Deidre Hall)!
Up until now, the Peacock streaming soap opera has never revealed his face, but that all seemed to change on the Tuesday, October 2o episode of DAYS. In story, Dante met Sami’s parents for the first time, Roman (Josh Taylor) and Marlena.
He shows them a photo of Dominic, which he happened to have on his own phone and even commented he kind of looked like he could be Marlena’s son. The photo, which has quickly made it around Soap Twitter/X, revealed that British-born actor Kyle Pryor is the man in the photo and eagle-eyed viewers actually located said photo on Pryor’s Instagram.

Photo: Peacock
Deadline revealed Pryor started taping at the end of 2025 and will first be seen in the role, on air Monday, November 2. In addition, Days will celebrate its 61st Anniversary with two special episodes featuring Dominic’s arrival, as well the returns of Tony and Anna DiMera, played respectively by Thaao Penghlis and Leann Hunley, on Friday, November 6 and Monday, November 9.
Those in the know, are are that Pryor previously held series regular roles on Australia’s Home and Away, and the UK’s Hollyoaks and guest starred on Emmerdale. In an ironic twist, Pryor appeared in the series Spartacus: Blood and Sand which is the same action series his apparent TV brother, Dan Feuerriegel (EJ DiMera), once appeared in before coming to DAYS.
So excited to see Kyle Pryor take on the role of Dominic Marino as Days of our Lives sets its anniversary story to kick-off with is arrival in Salem? Share your thoughts in the comment section. And in case you missed our latest conversation with Conner Floyd (Chad DiMera) he weighs-in on how Dominic’s appearance will shake things up in Salem. You can check that out below.
Days Of Our Lives
Days of our Lives’ Conner Floyd Talks Dominic Marino Mystery, Chad and Belle, and Susan Seaforth Hayes (Exclusive)

Fasten your seat belts Days of our Lives fans, as the mystery of Dominic Marino continues to unravel on all-new episodes of the Peacock streaming soap opera. Last week, Chad DiMera (Conner Floyd) learned that he may have a half-brother, who may be the biological child of his father, the late Stefano DiMera (the late Joseph Mascolo) and Dr. Marlena Evans (Deidre Hall), giving him great pause, because he knows Stefano had kidnapped Marlena for four years back in the late 80s and early 90s.
Chad has already been hunting down clues with his current girlfriend Belle Black (Martha Madison) in Italy and Salem, which revealed a photo of a young boy with Stefano with the date 1992 on the back of it, hidden inside Stefano’s chess set. So, what’s next?
Conner Floyd chatted on the Michael Fairman Channel in a new virtual interview released on Sunday, October 18, where he spoke on what the new addition to the DiMera family could do to the already dangerous sibling rivalries, the state of Chad’s relationship with Belle and much more.

Photo: JPI
DIMERA RIVALRY
After finding out from EJ (Dan Feuerriegel) that Dominic Marino could be the never-before-heard-of child of Stefano and Marlena, Conner Floyd explained, “I think it blows Chad’s mind a little bit. I think there’s a lot of things working there with old Chad. Obviously, bringing in another DiMera could cause some noise and the whole situation with Marlena’s a little awkward as well because he’s dating Belle, so this could cause a little tiff there. I think his head’s spinning and he does not know what to expect, but I also think he kind of expects that from Stefano, for sure.”
As to how this will change and color Chad’s relationship with EJ, Floyd responded, “Chad knows EJ’s not happy about it and I think he’s going to be real upset if this gets in his way of doing what he wants to do with the DiMera legacy and all that. However, for Chad, I think he’s just going to keep a sharp eye, see what this guy’s about, see if he’s here to cause some trouble or here to be a friend and kinda play it by ear.”

Photo: JPI
BELLE OF MY HEART
With Chad and Belle already being sleuths, Floyd says, you can look for the duo to continue getting to the truth. “I think Chad and Belle are committed to this. They’re going full National Treasure, Nicolas Cage,” says Conner. “They’re going to follow the clues. They’re going to get some answers.”
Since beginning in the role of Chad in June of 2025 and debuting on-screen back in April of 2026, the former Y&R star (where he played Chance Chancellor), says it was Madison who helped him get comfortable in his new surroundings.
“Martha is phenomenal. I couldn’t have asked for a better person to get tagged up with when I started here, just because she knows everybody,” shares Floyd. “She knows where to go, who to talk to. She’ll get the tea if you want, and so it was kind of cool. Martha took me under her wing, showed me the ropes. She’s a sweetheart. I love working with her too. She’s a great actress.”
But, is Chad in love with Belle after such a tortured past with his beloved Abigail Deveraux DiMera? Floyd thinks so! “I think he’s into it. They’re such good friends and they have such a rich history. I think he’s in for the ride. You know, it’s one of those things you probably overlook at first and then they reconnected, and it feels easy and they’re going on these fun adventures.”
MAKING CHAD HIS OWN
Conner had the arduous task of being the successor to Billy Flynn in the role of Chad.. Flynn had played the part for 12 years before deciding to exit and head to Y&R. So, how did Conner approach learning the ins and out of Chad? Floyd shared, “I really dove into Chad when I first got this job. I liked that he kind of walks this tightrope of DiMera and not DiMera, you know. He want to so honor his family roots and really do something for the DiMera family, but he doesn’t want to fall into that trap that all the other DiMera have found themselves in. Chad is a DiMera at heart. He’s got those demons, but he’s just trying to keep them contained.”

Photo: JPI
ICONIC
When Floyd got to DAYS, it was none other than Susan Seaforth Hayes (Julie Williams) who most surprised him in the most delightful way, given that he knew Hayes was a Daytime Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award winner and the current longest-running cast member on the canvas.
“I love working with Susan Hayes! I love her. She’s a sweetheart. Susan is one of the nicest people there. I just thought she was cool and it’s Susan Hayes, you know? We’ve had a lot of scenes together, which is nice,” explained Conner.
“We’ll go to her dressing room, we’ll run our scenes, and then we’ll spend about an hour just talking about life and she’ll tell me about a book she’s reading. She’s such a history buff, which blows my mind. She’ll start dropping all these historical facts on me. I learn something new by the time I walk out of her dressing room every time!”
Now below, check out the full conversation with Conner Floyd via the Michael Fairman Channel.
Weigh-in: Do you like Chad and Belle as couple? Do you think Chad will get to the bottom of the Dominic Marino mystery? If so, do you think Dominic is truly Stefano and Marlena’s son … and what about Rita (Maggie Carney) in all this? Let us know your theories in the comment section.
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