Who won Lead Actress in a Comedy Series at the most recent Emmys?

Jean Smart won at the 2025 Emmys.

Who won Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 2023?

Quinta Brunson — Abbott Elementary.

Who has won Lead Actress in a Comedy Series the most times?

Julia Louis-Dreyfus, with 7 wins (2006, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017).

How many different winners has Lead Actress in a Comedy Series had?

35 different winners across 61 ceremonies, 1959–2025.

A visual history · Emmys

The winners who defined Lead Actress (Comedy).

61 ceremonies, 1959–2025. 35 different winners. The longest run belongs to Julia Louis-Dreyfus, with 6 straight wins.

Who won most recently?: Jean Smart in 2025 for Hacks.
Who has won the most?: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, 7 wins (2006, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017).

2025HacksJean Smart
2024HacksJean Smart
2023Abbott ElementaryQuinta Brunson
2022HacksJean Smart
2021HacksJean Smart
2020Schitt's CreekCatherine O'Hara

Years explored: 1959–2025
Different winners: 35
Category leader: Julia Louis-Dreyfus · 7

About this record

Lead Actress in a Comedy Series was first awarded in 1959, so it does not run the full 1951–2025 window.

2000–2025

26 ceremonies

19592025

01 / The reigns

Julia Louis-Dreyfus set the longest run.

The timeline turns the 2000–2025 record into a sequence of reigns. Longer bands reveal sustained runs; color shows the credited network.

01
Julia Louis-Dreyfus7 wins
02
Jean Smart4 wins
03
Patricia Heaton2 wins

Each band is one winner’s reign. Wider means a longer run. Colored by network; hover for details.

Patricia Heaton'00–'01×2

Jennifer Aniston'02

Debra Messing'03

Sarah Jessica Parker'04

Felicity Huffman'05

Julia Louis-Dreyfus'06

America Ferrera'07

Tina Fey'08

Toni Collette'09

Edie Falco'10

Melissa McCarthy'11

Julia Louis-Dreyfus'12–'17×6

Rachel Brosnahan'18

Phoebe Waller-Bridge'19

Catherine O'Hara'20

Jean Smart'21–'22×2

Quinta Brunson'23

Jean Smart'24–'25×2

02 / The power map

Who stood behind the winners?

HBO leads the recorded network credits with 11 wins, 2000–2025. The full distribution shows whether power was concentrated or shared.

HBO11 wins

CBS4 wins

ABC3 wins

NBC3 wins

Amazon2 wins

Showtime2 wins

Wins by network

HBO1142%
CBS415%
ABC312%
NBC312%
Amazon28%
Showtime28%
Other14%

03 / The near misses

The names that kept coming back without the ending they wanted.

Counting nominations in this category only, 2000–2025.

Most nominated, never won this award

01
Jane Kaczmarek
7 noms
02
Amy Poehler
6 noms
03
Christina Applegate
5 noms
04
Tracee Ellis Ross
5 noms
05
Lily Tomlin
4 noms
06
Allison Janney
3 noms

Most losses in this category

01
Jane Kaczmarek
7L · 0W
02
Amy Poehler
6L · 0W
03
Tina Fey
6L · 1W
04
Christina Applegate
5L · 0W
05
Edie Falco
5L · 1W
06
Julia Louis-Dreyfus
5L · 7W

04 / The archive

Every year.
Every winner.

The complete reference behind the story, showing 2000–2025. Open any year to see the rest of the field when nominee records are available.

Year	Winner	Network
2025	Jean Smart (Hacks)repeat beat 4 others Uzo Aduba (The Residence) Kristen Bell (Nobody Wants This) Quinta Brunson (Abbott Elementary) Ayo Edebiri (The Bear)	HBO Max
2024	Jean Smart (Hacks) beat 5 others Quinta Brunson (Abbott Elementary) Ayo Edebiri (The Bear) Selena Gomez (Only Murders in the Building) Maya Rudolph (Loot) Kristen Wiig (Palm Royale)	Max
2023	Quinta Brunson (Abbott Elementary) beat 4 others Christina Applegate (Dead to Me) Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) Natasha Lyonne (Poker Face) Jenna Ortega (Wednesday)	ABC
2022	Jean Smart (Hacks)repeat beat 5 others Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) Quinta Brunson (Abbott Elementary) Kaley Cuoco (The Flight Attendant) Elle Fanning (The Great) Issa Rae (Insecure)	HBO Max
2021	Jean Smart (Hacks) beat 4 others Aidy Bryant (Shrill) Kaley Cuoco (The Flight Attendant) Allison Janney (Mom) Tracee Ellis Ross (Black-ish)	HBO Max
2020	Catherine O'Hara (Schitt's Creek) beat 5 others Christina Applegate (Dead to Me) Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) Linda Cardellini (Dead to Me) Issa Rae (Insecure) Tracee Ellis Ross (Black-ish)	Pop TV
2019	Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Fleabag) beat 5 others Christina Applegate (Dead to Me) Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Veep) Natasha Lyonne (Russian Doll) Catherine O'Hara (Schitt's Creek)	Amazon
2018	Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) beat 5 others Pamela Adlon (Better Things) Allison Janney (Mom) Issa Rae (Insecure) Tracee Ellis Ross (Black-ish) Lily Tomlin (Grace and Frankie)	Amazon
2017	Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Veep)repeat beat 6 others Pamela Adlon (Better Things) Allison Janney (Mom) Ellie Kemper (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt) Jane Fonda (Grace and Frankie) Tracee Ellis Ross (Black-ish) Lily Tomlin (Grace and Frankie)	HBO
2016	Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Veep)repeat beat 5 others Ellie Kemper (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt) Laurie Metcalf (Getting On) Tracee Ellis Ross (Black-ish) Amy Schumer (Inside Amy Schumer) Lily Tomlin (Grace and Frankie)	HBO
2015	Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Veep)repeat beat 5 others Edie Falco (Nurse Jackie) Lisa Kudrow (The Comeback) Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation) Amy Schumer (Inside Amy Schumer) Lily Tomlin (Grace and Frankie)	HBO
2014	Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Veep)repeat beat 5 others Lena Dunham (Girls) Edie Falco (Nurse Jackie) Melissa McCarthy (Mike & Molly) Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation) Taylor Schilling (Orange Is the New Black)	HBO
2013	Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Veep)repeat beat 5 others Laura Dern (Enlightened) Lena Dunham (Girls) Edie Falco (Nurse Jackie) Tina Fey (30 Rock) Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation)	HBO
2012	Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Veep) beat 6 others Zooey Deschanel (New Girl) Lena Dunham (Girls) Edie Falco (Nurse Jackie) Tina Fey (30 Rock) Melissa McCarthy (Mike & Molly) Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation)	HBO
2011	Melissa McCarthy (Mike & Molly) beat 5 others Edie Falco (Nurse Jackie) Tina Fey (30 Rock) Laura Linney (The Big C) Martha Plimpton (Raising Hope) Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation)	CBS
2010	Edie Falco (Nurse Jackie) beat 5 others Tina Fey (30 Rock) Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation) Toni Collette (United States of Tara) Julia Louis-Dreyfus (The New Adventures of Old Christine) Lea Michele (Glee)	Showtime
2009	Toni Collette (United States of Tara) beat 5 others Christina Applegate (Samantha Who?) Tina Fey (30 Rock) Julia Louis-Dreyfus (The New Adventures of Old Christine) Mary-Louise Parker (Weeds) Sarah Silverman (The Sarah Silverman Program)	Showtime
2008	Tina Fey (30 Rock) beat 4 others Christina Applegate (Samantha Who?) America Ferrera (Ugly Betty) Julia Louis-Dreyfus (The New Adventures of Old Christine) Mary-Louise Parker (Weeds)	NBC
2007	America Ferrera (Ugly Betty) beat 4 others Tina Fey (30 Rock) Felicity Huffman (Desperate Housewives) Julia Louis-Dreyfus (The New Adventures of Old Christine) Mary-Louise Parker (Weeds)	ABC
2006	Julia Louis-Dreyfus (The New Adventures of Old Christine) beat 4 others Stockard Channing (Out of Practice) Jane Kaczmarek (Malcolm in the Middle) Lisa Kudrow (The Comeback) Debra Messing (Will & Grace)	CBS
2005	Felicity Huffman (Desperate Housewives) beat 4 others Marcia Cross (Desperate Housewives) Teri Hatcher (Desperate Housewives) Patricia Heaton (Everybody Loves Raymond) Jane Kaczmarek (Malcolm in the Middle)	ABC
2004	Sarah Jessica Parker (Sex and the City) beat 4 others Jennifer Aniston (Friends) Patricia Heaton (Everybody Loves Raymond) Bonnie Hunt (Life with Bonnie) Jane Kaczmarek (Malcolm in the Middle)	HBO
2003	Debra Messing (Will & Grace) beat 4 others Jennifer Aniston (Friends) Patricia Heaton (Everybody Loves Raymond) Jane Kaczmarek (Malcolm in the Middle) Sarah Jessica Parker (Sex and the City)	NBC
2002	Jennifer Aniston (Friends) beat 4 others Patricia Heaton (Everybody Loves Raymond) Jane Kaczmarek (Malcolm in the Middle) Debra Messing (Will & Grace) Sarah Jessica Parker (Sex and the City)	NBC
2001	Patricia Heaton (Everybody Loves Raymond)repeat beat 4 others Calista Flockhart (Ally McBeal) Jane Kaczmarek (Malcolm in the Middle) Debra Messing (Will & Grace) Sarah Jessica Parker (Sex and the City)	CBS
2000	Patricia Heaton (Everybody Loves Raymond) beat 4 others Jenna Elfman (Dharma & Greg) Jane Kaczmarek (Malcolm in the Middle) Debra Messing (Will & Grace) Sarah Jessica Parker (Sex and the City)	CBS
1999	Helen Hunt (Mad About You)repeatunverified beat 4 others Jenna Elfman (Dharma & Greg) Calista Flockhart (Ally McBeal) Patricia Heaton (Everybody Loves Raymond) Sarah Jessica Parker (Sex and the City)	NBC
1998	Helen Hunt (Mad About You)repeatunverified beat 5 others Ellen DeGeneres (Ellen) Jenna Elfman (Dharma & Greg) Patricia Richardson (Home Improvement) Kirstie Alley (Veronica's Closet) Calista Flockhart (Ally McBeal)	NBC
1997	Helen Hunt (Mad About You)repeatunverified beat 4 others Ellen DeGeneres (Ellen) Patricia Richardson (Home Improvement) Fran Drescher (The Nanny) Cybill Shepherd (Cybill)	NBC
1996	Helen Hunt (Mad About You)unverified beat 4 others Ellen DeGeneres (Ellen) Fran Drescher (The Nanny) Cybill Shepherd (Cybill) Patricia Richardson (Home Improvement)	NBC
1995	Candice Bergen (Murphy Brown)repeatunverified beat 4 others Roseanne Barr (Roseanne) Ellen DeGeneres (Ellen) Helen Hunt (Mad About You) Cybill Shepherd (Cybill)	CBS
1994	Candice Bergen (Murphy Brown)unverified beat 4 others Helen Hunt (Mad About You) Annie Potts (Love & War) Roseanne Barr (Roseanne) Patricia Richardson (Home Improvement)	CBS
1993	Roseanne Barr (Roseanne)unverified beat 4 others Candice Bergen (Murphy Brown) Marion Ross (Brooklyn Bridge) Kirstie Alley (Cheers) Helen Hunt (Mad About You)	ABC
1992	Candice Bergen (Murphy Brown)unverified beat 5 others Roseanne Barr (Roseanne) Kirstie Alley (Cheers) Tyne Daly (Wings) Betty White (The Golden Girls) Marion Ross (Brooklyn Bridge)	CBS
1991	Kirstie Alley (Cheers)unverified beat 4 others Candice Bergen (Murphy Brown) Delta Burke (Designing Women) Blair Brown (The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd) Betty White (The Golden Girls)	NBC
1990	Candice Bergen (Murphy Brown)repeatunverified beat 4 others Kirstie Alley (Cheers) Betty White (The Golden Girls) Blair Brown (The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd) Delta Burke (Designing Women)	CBS
1989	Candice Bergen (Murphy Brown)unverified beat 4 others Blair Brown (The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd) Rue McClanahan (The Golden Girls) Betty White (The Golden Girls) Bea Arthur (The Golden Girls)	CBS
1988	Bea Arthur (The Golden Girls)unverified beat 4 others Kirstie Alley (Cheers) Blair Brown (The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd) Rue McClanahan (The Golden Girls) Betty White (The Golden Girls)	NBC
1987	Rue McClanahan (The Golden Girls)unverified beat 4 others Blair Brown (The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd) Bea Arthur (The Golden Girls) Betty White (The Golden Girls) Jane Curtin (Kate & Allie)	NBC
1986	Betty White (The Golden Girls)unverified beat 4 others Shelley Long (Cheers) Bea Arthur (The Golden Girls) Rue McClanahan (The Golden Girls) Phylicia Rashad (The Cosby Show)	NBC
1985	Jane Curtin (Kate & Allie)repeatunverified beat 4 others Shelley Long (Cheers) Phylicia Rashad (The Cosby Show) Susan Saint James (Kate & Allie) Isabel Sanford (The Jeffersons)	CBS
1984	Jane Curtin (Kate & Allie)unverified beat 4 others Joanna Cassidy (Buffalo Bill) Shelley Long (Cheers) Susan Saint James (Kate & Allie) Isabel Sanford (The Jeffersons)	CBS
1983	Shelley Long (Cheers)unverified beat 5 others Mariette Hartley (Goodnight, Beantown) Isabel Sanford (The Jeffersons) Nell Carter (Gimme a Break!) Swoosie Kurtz (Love, Sidney) Rita Moreno (9 to 5)	NBC
1982	Carol Kane (Taxi)unverified beat 5 others Swoosie Kurtz (Love, Sidney) Nell Carter (Gimme a Break!) Charlotte Rae (The Facts of Life) Bonnie Franklin (One Day at a Time) Isabel Sanford (The Jeffersons)	ABC
1981	Isabel Sanford (The Jeffersons)unverified beat 4 others Eileen Brennan (Taxi) Cathryn Damon (Soap) Katherine Helmond (Soap) Lynn Redgrave (House Calls)	CBS
1980	Cathryn Damon (Soap)unverified beat 4 others Polly Holliday (Flo) Sheree North (Archie Bunker's Place) Isabel Sanford (The Jeffersons) Katherine Helmond (Soap)	ABC
1979	Ruth Gordon (Taxi)unverified beat 4 others Linda Lavin (Alice) Jean Stapleton (All in the Family) Katherine Helmond (Soap) Isabel Sanford (The Jeffersons)	ABC
1978	Jean Stapleton (All in the Family)unverified beat 5 others Bea Arthur (Maude) Valerie Harper (Rhoda) Cathryn Damon (Soap) Katherine Helmond (Soap) Suzanne Pleshette (The Bob Newhart Show)	CBS
1977	Bea Arthur (Maude)unverified beat 4 others Jean Stapleton (All in the Family) Valerie Harper (Rhoda) Suzanne Pleshette (The Bob Newhart Show) Mary Tyler Moore (The Mary Tyler Moore Show)	CBS
1976	Mary Tyler Moore (The Mary Tyler Moore Show)unverified beat 4 others Lee Grant (Fay) Bea Arthur (Maude) Cloris Leachman (Phyllis) Valerie Harper (Rhoda)	CBS
1975	Valerie Harper (Rhoda)unverified beat 2 others Jean Stapleton (All in the Family) Mary Tyler Moore (The Mary Tyler Moore Show)	CBS
1974	Mary Tyler Moore (The Mary Tyler Moore Show)repeatunverified beat 2 others Bea Arthur (Maude) Jean Stapleton (All in the Family)	CBS
1973	Mary Tyler Moore (The Mary Tyler Moore Show)unverified beat 2 others Jean Stapleton (All in the Family) Bea Arthur (Maude)	CBS
1972	Jean Stapleton (All in the Family)repeatunverified beat 2 others Sandy Duncan (Funny Face) Mary Tyler Moore (The Mary Tyler Moore Show)	CBS
1971	Jean Stapleton (All in the Family)unverified beat 2 others Marlo Thomas (That Girl) Mary Tyler Moore (The Mary Tyler Moore Show)	CBS
1970	Hope Lange (The Ghost & Mrs. Muir)repeatunverified beat 2 others Elizabeth Montgomery (Bewitched) Marlo Thomas (That Girl)	ABC
1969	Hope Lange (The Ghost & Mrs. Muir)unverified beat 3 others Diahann Carroll (Julia) Barbara Feldon (Get Smart) Elizabeth Montgomery (Bewitched)	NBC
1968	Lucille Ball (The Lucy Show)repeatunverified beat 4 others Barbara Feldon (Get Smart) Elizabeth Montgomery (Bewitched) Paula Prentiss (He & She) Marlo Thomas (That Girl)	CBS
1967	Lucille Ball (The Lucy Show)unverified beat 3 others Elizabeth Montgomery (Bewitched) Agnes Moorehead (Bewitched) Marlo Thomas (That Girl)	CBS
1966	Mary Tyler Moore (The Dick Van Dyke Show)unverified beat 2 others Lucille Ball (The Lucy Show) Elizabeth Montgomery (Bewitched)	CBS
1959	Jane Wyatt (Father Knows Best)unverified beat 5 others Gracie Allen (The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show) Spring Byington (December Bride) Ida Lupino (Mr. Adams and Eve) Donna Reed (The Donna Reed Show) Ann Sothern (The Ann Sothern Show)	CBS