The powers that be have announced the nominees for the 2025 Daytime Emmy Awards, and I’m feeling a myriad of emotions. While I’m shocked that The Bold and the Beautiful has been shut out of the main soap categories and disappointed that The Young and the Restless’ Melody Thomas Scott and Colleen Zenk were both snubbed for the respective portrayals as Nikki and Jordan, I still find myself thrilled to see the list of nominees, especially when I feel as if the nomination was completely deserved.
That brings me the nominations for Outstanding Lead Performance in a Daytime Drama Series: Actress. Although I wish Scott were added to the number, every actress in the category is deserving of a nomination.
Sharon Case and Michelle Stafford were phenomenal on The Young and the Restless during the eligible nominating period, portraying Sharon and Phyllis wrestling with the death of Heather (Vail Bloom), the torment by Jordan and Ian (Ray Ward) and the then the kidnapping at the hands of Martin (Christopher Cousins).
Also from The Young and the Restless, Melissa Claire Egan did a dynamite job portraying Chelsea, a mother struggling to help her son cope with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and a girlfriend wrestling with feelings for two men at the time.
Over in the land of General Hospital, Nancy Lee Grahn and Laura Wright (who respectively play Alexis and Carly on the soap) definitely earned their applause and rave reviews. Alexis has had to deal with a lot, including the death of her daughter, Sam (Kelly Monaco), and trying to help her other daughters and grandchildren adjust to such a loss.
And Carly has had to suffer through almost losing another child, while fiercely taking on Drew (Cameron Mathison), Willow (Katelyn MacMullen) and Nina (Cynthia Watros) for the sake of her grandchildren. Plus, it’s been nice to see Carly transform into the de facto Spencer matriarch.
With all that being said though, my money for the winner of this year’s Outstanding Lead Performance in a Daytime Drama Series: Actress category is The Young and the Restless’ Eileen Davidson.
From the moment Davidson’s character Ashley kicked off her dissociative identity disorder (DID), I’ve been nothing short of impressed by the range of talent Davidson used in not only portraying Ashley, but the other personalities of her psyche as well. Right before viewers' eyes, she morphed from a confused and terrified Ashley to a wildly flirtatious Belle to a naive Ash to an assertive and ruthless Ms. Abbott. I can’t say I can recall any actress from any soap playing four different personalities.
Then I was completely riveted watching Ashley come to grips with her fragile mental health state and her having to face off with the spark of her mental torment, Martin. Not only did Ashley have to come face-to-face with him in Paris the night Alan (Christopher Cousins) died, but she also had to confront Martin in Genoa City as he pretended to be Alan and in love with Traci (Beth Maitland).
I’ve been so enamored with Ashley’s story that I’ve actually missed her in her long hiatus in France. Not for nothing, CBS still hasn’t gone into the childhood weeds as to what originally caused her DID. Martin may have prompted her different personalities to emerge, but as our psychology research and even the soap suggested, Ashley’s DID originated in childhood. What could have happened to her that viewers have yet to learn? I’m hoping that’s something that’s explored in future episodes.
So, do you agree that Davidson will take home this year’s Emmy? Or do you think one of these other brilliant actresses who are nominated will win the prize?
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