Top 25 Soap Female Performers of 2025

It’s that time of year again, and we’re getting ready to hand out some serious soap opera bragging rights. Before we officially name the Best Soap Opera of 2025, Soap Opera News is shining a spotlight where it belongs with our list of the Top 25 Female Soap Performers of the year, plus a few well-earned honorary mentions.

These women didn’t just clock in and hit their marks. They delivered. Whether it was a powerhouse monologue, a quiet moment that broke our hearts, or a scene so wild it had us yelling at our TVs, their performances kept us laughing, crying, and completely hooked.

When narrowing down the list, we considered several factors, including how much airtime they got, how prominent their stories were, the emotional depth they brought to their roles, and just how much delicious chaos they stirred up, because it wouldn’t be a soap without it. To qualify, performers had to be 26 or older and either on contract or heavily recurring throughout the year.

So now it’s time to dive in. Check out our Top 25 Female Soap Performers of 2025 and let us know. Who would you have crowned as your number one?

Honorary Mentions:

5. Arielle Prepetit – Naomi Hawthorne, Beyond the Gates/ Lauren Buglioli – Vanessa McBride

4. Hayley Erin – Claire Newman, The Young and the Restless

3. Nancy Lee Grahn – Alexis Davis, General Hospital

2. Zuleyka Siler – Audra Charles, Y&R

1. Susan Walers – Diane Jenkins Abbott, Y&R

Top 25 Soap Female Performers of 2025

• 24. Trisha Mann-Grant – Leslie Thomas, BTG

• 24. Alexa Havins Bruening – Lulu Spencer, GH

• 23. Christel Khalil – Lily Winters, Y&R

22. Cherie Jimenez – Gabi Hernandez, Days of Our Lives (got an honorary mention last year)

• 21. Amanda Setton – Brook Lynn Quartermaine Chase, GH

• 20. Courtney Hope – Sally Spectra, Y&R (got an honorary mention last year)

• 19. Stacy Haiduk – Kristen DiMera, DAYS

• 18. Daphnee Duplaix – Nicole Dupree, BTG

• 17. Maura West – Ava Jerome, GH (was #7 last year)

• 16. AnnaLynne McCord – Cat Greene, DAYS

• 15. Tamara Tunie – Anita Dupree, BTG

• 14. Brook Kerr – Dr. Portia Robinson (got an honorary mention in 2024)

• 13. Katelyn MacMullen – Willow Tait Cain, GH

• 12. Katherine Kelly Lang – Brooke Logan Forrester/Rebecca Budig – Dr. Taylor Hayes, The Bold and the Beautiful

• 11. Laura Wright – Carly Spencer, GH (got an honorary mention in 2024)

10. Raven Bowens – Chanel Dupree DiMera, DAYS

9. Finola Hughes – Anna Devane, GH (was #10 in 2024)

8. Annika Noelle – Hope Logan Spencer, B&B (was #4 last year)

7. Cynthia Watros – Nina Reeves, GH (was #10 in 2024)

6. Karla Mosley – Dani Dupree, BTG

5. Linsey Godfrey – Sarah Horton (was #8 in 2024)

4. Jacqueline MacInnes Wood – Steffy Forrester Finnegan (was #6 last year)

3. Sharon Case – Sharon Collins, Y&R/Michelle Stafford – Pyllis Summers (Sharon was #1 last year while Michelle received an honorary mention)

2. Deidre Hall – Marlena Evans, DAYS

1. Jane Elliot – Tracy Quartermaine, GH

This is one of those categories that makes you pause, scratch your head, and then rethink your choices all over again. It really is that difficult. Anyone who works in this field knows exactly what we’re talking about. Daytime television is overflowing with talent, and trimming the field down to just 25 performances felt borderline impossible. Nevertheless, we did it once again.

First things first, a big round of applause for every performer who made the list. As a matter of fact, a huge shoutout to every single actress in this genre. Earning a spot this year was no easy task.

Daytime soaps continue to deliver some of the finest acting on television, full stop. That also means leaving off some truly standout work, which was the hardest part of all. Still, this list celebrates the performances that hit the hardest, lingered the longest, and stayed with us for the year and beyond.

The Top Honors

And let’s be honest, or at least honest with ourselves. Jane Elliot, the legendary Tracy Quartermaine on General Hospital, was simply unstoppable in 2025. Having her back on daytime has been an absolute gift. Jane didn’t just show up; she dominated. Week after week, she delivered back-to-back standout performances that had viewers talking. She didn’t just steal scenes; she owned them, and that is exactly why she earned the number one spot as Soap Opera News’ Female Performer of the Year. Huge congratulations to Jane. You

Coming in right behind her at number two is Deidre Hall, who delivered powerhouse work as Marlena Evans on Days of Our Lives. The material was heavy, the emotions ran deep, and Hall met every moment head-on. Her performances were raw, fearless, and deeply felt, reaching viewers across living rooms everywhere. There’s no question she remains one of the very best in the genre.

Rounding out the top three is Sharon Case, who held the top spot last year. This year, she tied with Michelle Stafford. Throughout 2025, both actresses continued to bring depth, intensity, and consistency to their work. As series leads, they showed once again that when it comes to delivering emotionally grounded, powerful performances, they are still very much at the top of their game.

To everyone who made the list this year, congratulations. And to all the women carrying daytime television forward day after day, your work matters, your talent shines, and you continue to set the bar higher with every performance. Keep shining!

(Photos: CBS/Peacock/Screenshot/ABC/JPI)

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