Every Emmys Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie winner

26 ceremonies, 2000–2025. 20 different winners. The longest run was Helen Mirren, 2 years straight (2006–2007).

Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie was previously known as Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie.

It has been Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie since 2015 and Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie since 2021. The race itself never split: one award has covered both miniseries and television movies for the whole window.

Laura Linney ×3Helen Mirren ×2Jessica Lange ×2Kate Winslet ×2Regina King ×2

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

Halle Berry'00

Judy Davis'01

Laura Linney'02

Maggie Smith'03

Meryl Streep'04

S. Epatha Merkerson'05

Helen Mirren'06–'07×2

Laura Linney'08

Jessica Lange'09

Claire Danes'10

Kate Winslet'11

Julianne Moore'12

Laura Linney'13

Jessica Lange'14

Frances McDormand'15

Sarah Paulson'16

Nicole Kidman'17

Regina King'18

Michelle Williams'19

Regina King'20

Kate Winslet'21

Amanda Seyfried'22

Ali Wong'23

Jodie Foster'24

Cristin Milioti'25

Wins by network

HBO1662%
FX312%
Netflix28%
Showtime28%
ABC14%
Hulu14%
Other14%

Who kept losing

Counting nominations in this category only, 2000–2025.

Most nominated, never won

Emma Thompson4 noms
Felicity Huffman3 noms
Gena Rowlands3 noms
Judi Dench3 noms
Blythe Danner2 noms
Cate Blanchett2 noms

Most losses

Emma Thompson4L · 0W
Jessica Lange4L · 2W
Felicity Huffman3L · 0W
Gena Rowlands3L · 0W
Helen Mirren3L · 2W
Judi Dench3L · 0W

The full list

Year	Winner	Network
2025	Cristin Milioti (The Penguin) beat 4 others Cate Blanchett (Disclaimer) Meghann Fahy (Sirens) Rashida Jones (Black Mirror) Michelle Williams (Dying for Sex)	HBO
2024	Jodie Foster (True Detective: Night Country) beat 4 others Brie Larson (Lessons in Chemistry) Juno Temple (Fargo) Sofía Vergara (Griselda) Naomi Watts (Feud: Capote vs. The Swans)	HBO
2023	Ali Wong (Beef) beat 5 others Lizzy Caplan (Fleishman Is in Trouble) Jessica Chastain (George & Tammy) Dominique Fishback (Swarm) Kathryn Hahn (Tiny Beautiful Things) Riley Keough (Daisy Jones & the Six)	Netflix
2022	Amanda Seyfried (The Dropout) beat 5 others Toni Collette (The Staircase) Julia Garner (Inventing Anna) Lily James (Pam & Tommy) Sarah Paulson (Impeachment: American Crime Story) Margaret Qualley (Maid)	Hulu
2021	Kate Winslet (Mare of Easttown) beat 4 others Michaela Coel (I May Destroy You) Cynthia Erivo (Genius: Aretha) Elizabeth Olsen (WandaVision) Anya Taylor-Joy (The Queen's Gambit)	HBO
2020	Regina King (Watchmen) beat 4 others Cate Blanchett (Mrs. America) Shira Haas (Unorthodox) Octavia Spencer (Self Made) Kerry Washington (Little Fires Everywhere)	HBO
2019	Michelle Williams (Fosse/Verdon) beat 5 others Amy Adams (Sharp Objects) Patricia Arquette (Escape at Dannemora) Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor (When They See Us) Joey King (The Act) Niecy Nash (When They See Us)	FX
2018	Regina King (Seven Seconds) beat 5 others Jessica Biel (The Sinner) Laura Dern (The Tale) Michelle Dockery (Godless) Edie Falco (Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders) Sarah Paulson (American Horror Story: Cult)	Netflix
2017	Nicole Kidman (Big Little Lies) beat 5 others Carrie Coon (Fargo) Felicity Huffman (American Crime) Jessica Lange (Feud: Bette and Joan) Susan Sarandon (Feud: Bette and Joan) Reese Witherspoon (Big Little Lies)	HBO
2016	Sarah Paulson (The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story) beat 5 others Kirsten Dunst (Fargo) Felicity Huffman (American Crime) Audra McDonald (Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill) Lili Taylor (American Crime) Kerry Washington (Confirmation)	FX
2015	Frances McDormand (Olive Kitteridge) beat 5 others Maggie Gyllenhaal (The Honorable Woman) Felicity Huffman (American Crime) Jessica Lange (American Horror Story: Freak Show) Queen Latifah (Bessie) Emma Thompson (Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Live from Lincoln Center))	HBO
2014	Jessica Lange (American Horror Story: Coven) beat 5 others Helena Bonham Carter (Burton & Taylor) Minnie Driver (Return to Zero) Sarah Paulson (American Horror Story: Coven) Cicely Tyson (The Trip to Bountiful) Kristen Wiig (The Spoils of Babylon)	FX
2013	Laura Linney (The Big C: Hereafter) beat 4 others Jessica Lange (American Horror Story: Asylum) Helen Mirren (Phil Spector) Elisabeth Moss (Top of the Lake) Sigourney Weaver (Political Animals)	Showtime
2012	Julianne Moore (Game Change) beat 4 others Connie Britton (American Horror Story) Ashley Judd (Missing) Nicole Kidman (Hemingway & Gellhorn) Emma Thompson (The Song of Lunch)	HBO
2011	Kate Winslet (Mildred Pierce) beat 4 others Taraji P. Henson (Taken from Me: The Tiffany Rubin Story) Diane Lane (Cinema Verite) Jean Marsh (Upstairs, Downstairs) Elizabeth McGovern (Downton Abbey)	HBO
2010	Claire Danes (Temple Grandin) beat 4 others Joan Allen (Georgia O'Keeffe) Hope Davis (The Special Relationship) Judi Dench (Return to Cranford) Maggie Smith (Capturing Mary)	HBO
2009	Jessica Lange (Grey Gardens) beat 4 others Drew Barrymore (Grey Gardens) Shirley MacLaine (Coco Chanel) Sigourney Weaver (Prayers for Bobby) Chandra Wilson (Accidental Friendship)	HBO
2008	Laura Linney (John Adams) beat 4 others Judi Dench (Cranford) Catherine Keener (An American Crime) Phylicia Rashad (A Raisin in the Sun) Susan Sarandon (Bernard and Doris)	HBO
2007	Helen Mirren (Prime Suspect: The Final Act)repeat beat 4 others Queen Latifah (Life Support) Debra Messing (The Starter Wife) Mary-Louise Parker (The Robber Bride) Gena Rowlands (What If God Were the Sun?)	PBS
2006	Helen Mirren (Elizabeth I) beat 4 others Gillian Anderson (Bleak House) Kathy Bates (Ambulance Girl) Annette Bening (Mrs. Harris) Judy Davis (A Little Thing Called Murder)	HBO
2005	S. Epatha Merkerson (Lackawanna Blues) beat 4 others Halle Berry (Their Eyes Were Watching God) Blythe Danner (Back When We Were Grownups) Cynthia Nixon (Warm Springs) Debra Winger (Dawn Anna)	HBO
2004	Meryl Streep (Angels in America) beat 4 others Glenn Close (The Lion in Winter) Judy Davis (The Reagans) Helen Mirren (Prime Suspect 6: The Last Witness) Emma Thompson (Angels in America)	HBO
2003	Maggie Smith (My House in Umbria) beat 4 others Thora Birch (Homeless to Harvard: The Liz Murray Story) Helena Bonham Carter (Live from Baghdad) Jessica Lange (Normal) Helen Mirren (The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone)	HBO
2002	Laura Linney (Wild Iris) beat 4 others Angela Bassett (The Rosa Parks Story) Blythe Danner (We Were the Mulvaneys) Vanessa Redgrave (The Gathering Storm) Gena Rowlands (Wild Iris)	Showtime
2001	Judy Davis (Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows) beat 4 others Judi Dench (The Last of the Blonde Bombshells) Holly Hunter (When Billie Beat Bobby) Hannah Taylor-Gordon (Anne Frank: The Whole Story) Emma Thompson (Wit)	ABC
2000	Halle Berry (Introducing Dorothy Dandridge) beat 4 others Judy Davis (A Cooler Climate) Sally Field (A Cooler Climate) Holly Hunter (Harlan County War) Gena Rowlands (The Color of Love: Jacey's Story)	HBO

More Emmys categories

Comedy Series Limited Series Supp. Actor (Drama)Supp. Actress (Drama)Lead Actress (Drama)Lead Actor (Comedy)Lead Actress (Comedy)Made for TV Movie TV Movie Lead Actor (Limited)Competition Program Variety Series Talk Series Sketch Series Lead Actor (Drama)Supp. Actor (Comedy)All 34 categories

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