With today’s nominations announcement for “The 49th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards” there were a couple of notable details pointed out by the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, the organization behind the Daytime Emmy Awards. For the first time since 2012, there were African American nominees in the Outstanding Lead Performance in a Drama Series: Actor and Outstanding Lead Performance in a Drama Series: Actress categories, and for the first time since 2014, there were five nominees in the category of Outstanding Daytime Drama Series.
James Reynolds is nominated for his performance as Abe Carver on “Days of our Lives.” He previously won the award in 2018 in the same category after four nominations. Meanwhile, Mishael Morgan is nominated for her performance as Amanda Sinclair on “The Young and the Restless.” She was previously nominated in 2018 and 2019 in the Supporting Actress category and for her previous role as Hilary Curtis on the daytime drama series.
The last time there were two African American nominees in the lead acting categories was in 2012 when “All My Children” stars Darnell Williams and Debbi Morgan were up for their portrayals as Jesse Hubbard and Angela Hubbard, respectively. Anthony Geary (Luke Spencer, “General Hospital”) and Heather Tom (Katie Logan, “The Bold and the Beautiful”) won that year.
Joining perennial Outstanding Daytime Drama Series nominees this year is Peacock’s “Days of our Lives: Beyond Salem,” marking the first time since 2014 that more than four shows were nominated in the category. The five-episode series spinoff of “Days of our Lives” was recently renewed for a second season which debuts in July on the streaming service. Also nominated in the category this year are “The Bold and the Beautiful,” “Days of our Lives,” “General Hospital” and “The Young and the Restless.”
This year marks the first time in history that a television series (“Days of our Lives”) will be vying against its spinoff (“Beyond Salem”) in the category of Outstanding Daytime Drama Series. “Port Charles,” a spinoff of “General Hospital,” was the last expansion series to be nominated in this category in 2003. “General Hospital” was not nominated, however. “As The World Turns” won the award that year.
“The 49th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards” will be broadcast live on Friday, June 24 at 9:00 p.m. ET (delayed PT) on CBS from the Pasadena Civic Center in Los Angeles.