Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Daytime Drama explained

The Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Daytime Drama is an award held by the daytime television magazine Soap Opera Digest. It was first awarded at the 1st Soap Opera Digest Award ceremony in 1984.^[1] It is given to honor an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role while working within the soap opera genre industry. The winners are decided by the fans who read the magazine.

Deidre Hall holds the most wins, winning in 1984, 1985 and 1995. Hall is followed by Kim Zimmer who won twice in 1988 and 2000.

Winners

Year	Recipients	Program	Role	Network	Ref
1984	Deidre Hall	Days of Our Lives	Marlena Evans	NBC
1985	Deidre Hall	Days of Our Lives	Marlena Evans	NBC	[2]
1986	Patsy Pease	Days of Our Lives	Kimberly Brady	NBC	[3]
1988	Kim Zimmer	Guiding Light	Reva Shayne	CBS	[4]
1989	Jeanne Cooper	The Young and the Restless	Katherine Chancellor	CBS	[5]
1990	Marcy Walker	Santa Barbara	Eden Capwell	NBC	[6]
1991	Finola Hughes	General Hospital	Anna Devane	ABC	[7]
1992	Anne Heche	Another World	Marley Hudson/Vicky Hudson	NBC	[8]
1993	Susan Lucci	All My Children	Erica Kane	ABC	[9]
1994	Jess Walton	The Young and the Restless	Jill Abbott	CBS	[10]
1995	Deidre Hall	Days of Our Lives	Marlena Evans	NBC	[11] [12]
1996	Robin Strasser	One Life to Live	Dorian Lord	ABC	[13]
1997	Genie Francis	General Hospital	Laura Spencer	ABC	[14] [15]
1998	Vanessa Marcil	General Hospital	Brenda Barrett	ABC	[16]
1999	Lynn Herring	Port Charles	Lucy Coe	ABC	[17]
2000	Kim Zimmer	Guiding Light	Reva Shayne	CBS	[18]
2001	Melody Thomas Scott	The Young and the Restless	Nikki Newman	CBS	[19]
2003	Michelle Stafford	The Young and the Restless	Phyllis Summers Abbott	CBS	[20]
2005	Tamara Braun	General Hospital	Carly Corinthos	ABC	[21]

Total awards won

Wins	Series
4	Days of Our Lives
General Hospital
The Young and the Restless
	Guiding Light
1	Santa Barbara
Another World
All My Children
Port Charles
One Life to Live

Multiple wins

Wins	Actress
	Deidre Hall
	Kim Zimmer

Notes and References

1. Web site: The Soap Opera Digest Awards: 1984. Soap Opera Digest. soapoperadigest.com. March 15, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20090301171303/http://www.soapoperadigest.com/awards/1984/. March 1, 2009.
2. Web site: The Soap Opera Digest Awards: 1985. Soap Opera Digest. soapoperadigest.com. March 15, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20090303080747/http://www.soapoperadigest.com/awards/1985/. March 3, 2009 .
3. Web site: The Soap Opera Digest Awards: 1986. Soap Opera Digest. soapoperadigest.com. March 15, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20090303081544/http://www.soapoperadigest.com/awards/1986/. March 3, 2009 .
4. Web site: The Soap Opera Digest Awards: 1988. Soap Opera Digest. soapoperadigest.com. March 15, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20090303081601/http://www.soapoperadigest.com/awards/1988/. March 3, 2009 .
5. Web site: The Soap Opera Digest Awards: 1989. Soap Opera Digest. soapoperadigest.com. March 15, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20090303080752/http://www.soapoperadigest.com/awards/1989/. March 3, 2009 .
6. Web site: The Soap Opera Digest Awards: 1990. Soap Opera Digest. soapoperadigest.com. March 15, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20090303082314/http://www.soapoperadigest.com/awards/1990/. March 3, 2009 .
7. Web site: The Soap Opera Digest Awards: 1991. Soap Opera Digest. soapoperadigest.com. March 15, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20090303081639/http://www.soapoperadigest.com/awards/1991/. March 3, 2009 .
8. Web site: The Soap Opera Digest Awards: 1992. Soap Opera Digest. soapoperadigest.com. March 15, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20090303073829/http://www.soapoperadigest.com/awards/1992/. March 3, 2009 .
9. News: 'Days of Our Lives' named favorite soap opera. February 10, 2013. Point Pleasant Register. February 27, 1993. Associated Press. Associated Press.
10. News: Galloway. Stephen. 'Days' cleans up at soap awards. February 10, 2013. The Spokesman-Review. February 8, 1994.
11. News: Top Suds. February 10, 2013. Boca Raton News. March 5, 1995.
12. News: 'Days of Our Lives' Wins Best Soap Opera Award. February 10, 2013. The Durant Daily Democrat. February 19, 1995. Associated Press.
13. News: 'Soap Opera Digest' names daytime's hottest. February 10, 2013. McCook Daily Gazette. February 15, 1996. Associated Press. Associated Press.
14. News: 'General Hospital' wins Soap Opera awards. February 10, 2013. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. March 1, 1997.
15. News: Readers just can't cope without scoop on soaps. February 10, 2013. Sun Journal. March 28, 1997.
16. News: 'General Hospital' tops in soap opera awards. February 10, 2013. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. March 3, 1998. Associated Press. Associated Press.
17. News: 'General Hospital' named favorite soap at awards. February 10, 2013. The Argus-Press. February 28, 1999. Associated Press. Associated Press.
18. News: 'General Hospital' wins 5 honors. February 10, 2013. The Vindicator. March 11, 2000. Associated Press. Associated Press.
19. Web site: The Soap Opera Digest Awards: 2001. Soap Opera Digest. soapoperadigest.com. March 15, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20090303080807/http://www.soapoperadigest.com/awards/2001/. March 3, 2009 .
20. Web site: The Soap Opera Digest Awards: 2003. Soap Opera Digest. soapoperadigest.com. March 15, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20090303073901/http://www.soapoperadigest.com/awards/2003/. March 3, 2009 .
21. Web site: The Soap Opera Digest Awards: 2005. Soap Opera Digest. soapoperadigest.com. March 15, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20080225160845/http://www.soapoperadigest.com/awards/2005/. February 25, 2008 .