Veteran Actress Nancy Lee Grahn Wins Big at 2025 Daytime Emmys

On October 17, 2025, veteran actress Nancy Lee Grahn won the award for Outstanding Lead Performance in a Daytime Drama Series at the Daytime Emmy Awards ceremony in Pasadena, California. Grahn, who has portrayed the character of Alexis Davis on the long-running soap opera General Hospital since 1996, beat out fellow nominees Eileen Davidson, Laura Wright, Melissa Claire Egan, Michelle Stafford, and Sharon Case.

In her acceptance speech, Grahn expressed her appreciation for the opportunity to do what she loves while also being a present mother to her daughter Kate. "At 39, I wanted to be a mom ... so I called General Hospital," Grahn recounted. "Through my role on the show, I was able to do what I love and raise the person I love most in the world ... without missing anything." Grahn thanked ABC for providing her a "home" that allowed her to balance her career and family life.

Grahn's win marks her 11th nomination and second victory, having previously won the award in 2012. She has appeared in over 2,000 episodes of General Hospital, making her a seasoned veteran in the daytime television industry. The other nominees in the category also boast impressive resumes, with Eileen Davidson and Laura Wright each having appeared in over 2,000 episodes of their respective shows, The Young and the Restless and General Hospital.