By BETH HARRIS
Associated Press
PASADENA, Calif. (AP) â Mishael Morgan of âThe Young and the Restlessâ won as lead drama actress, becoming the first Black actor to win in a lead category at the Daytime Emmys on Friday night.
Morgan was previously nominated in the supporting category. The 35-year-old from Trinidad and Tobago plays Amanda Sinclair on the CBS soap.
âI am being honored regardless of the color of my skin, regardless of my passport, for being the best at what I do,â Morgan said. âNow there are little girls all around the world and theyâre seeing another step forward and they know that no matter their industry, no matter their vocation, no matter what, they can strive to be the best at what they do. Not only can they achieve it, but they will be celebrated.â
John McCook earned lead actor honors for his role as Eric Forrester on CBSâ âThe Bold and the Beautiful.â It was the 78-year-oldâs first win in four nominations.
âI am so glad to get this Emmy, any Emmy actually,â he said.
âGeneral Hospitalâ won daytime drama honors, the ABC showâs 15th triumph in the category. It was the fifth trophy earned by the show Friday.
Morgan is in her second stint on âY&R.â She first joined the soap in 2013 and stayed until 2018. She returned in 2019 as a different character.
âI am so immensely proud of our generation. We are breaking glass ceilings left, right and center, and I am so honored to be a vessel and experience this moment,â she said. âItâs because of everybody who is out there today who is proving to the world that we can and we will do this thing called equality and unity together.â
Three âGeneral Hospitalâ stars won honors and the soapâs directing team won for the third consecutive year.
Kelly Thiebaud was chosen supporting actress for playing Dr. Britt Westbourne and Jeff Kober scored as supporting actor for his role as Cyrus Renault. Nicholas Chavez won as younger performer in the soap.
âWow!â Chavez said. âJust a little over a year ago I was selling cars in a little beach town in Florida. I always had the love and support of my family, but none of us had ever dreamed Iâd be up on this stage.â
A gleeful Thiebaud won on her first nomination.
âI cannot believe this. I am so shocked,â she said. âMy brother, when I first started acting, he followed my work and heâs like, âYouâre not that good.âČ So thank you for giving me something to rub in his face.â
Kober is known for his extensive film and primetime work on such shows as âSons of Anarchyâ and âThe Walking Dead.â
âWow, thank you for making me feel so welcome in daytime. What a trip,â he said. âI love what we get to do for a living, itâs play.â
NBCâs âDays of Our Livesâ won for writing team.
Kelly Clarkson earned her third consecutive trophy as entertainment talk show host. Her eponymous show also won its second straight trophy for entertainment talk show. The singer is spending the summer with her children and didnât attend.
Tamron Hall picked up her second straight trophy as informative talk show host.
Steve Harvey of âFamily Feudâ won as game show host.
âJeopardy!â won game show honors.
ââJeopardy!â is a show about facts,â executive producer Michael Davies said. âFacts, with everything going on in the world, are more important than ever. âJeopardy!â is the last place where everyone agrees about facts.â
Daytime doyenne Susan Lucci, who starred on âAll My Childrenâ during the showâs entire 41-year network run, received a standing ovation. She introduced the In Memoriam segment, which included a photo of her husband, Helmet Huber, who died in March. Michael Bolton crooned his hit âHow Am I Supposed to Live Without You.â
