The actor with the most Emmy wins of all time
For all those uninitiated about the Primetime Emmy Awards, think of them as the Oscars of television, recognising the very best programmes and performances to grace the small screen across the past year. Starting back in 1949 when only six awards were dished out to the lucky recipients, it’s fair to say that TV has changed considerably since then, with the rise of streaming services meaning that new content slaps us in the face just about each and every day.
Recognising dramas, sitcoms, TV specials and much more, the Emmys cover almost each and every facet of the small screen, with the biggest winners often being the most beloved shows from any given year. For example, the long-running satire Saturday Night Live still holds the record for the most number of Emmy wins of all time, winning 73 in total, which outperforms HBO’s fantasy series Game of Thrones, which takes second place with 59.
While Saturday Night Live might take the crown for the most decorated TV show at the awards ceremony, there is one actor who holds an equally impressive record, earning 11 Emmys and 24 nominations all by herself. The queen of the small screen in question is none other than Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who has won awards for three different shows from 1992 to 2019.
Her first win came back in 1996, winning for ‘Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series’ thanks to her beloved role in the comedy classic sitcom Seinfeld. Further success would come a whole decade later, following two more nominations for her performance in Seinfeld, taking home her second Emmy for the comedy flick The New Adventures of Old Christine, where she thrived alongside Hamish Linklater, Clark Gregg and Wanda Sykes.
Until then, Dreyfus’ Emmy success was few and far between, but upon the release of the political satire Veep in 2012, the actor’s fortunes would change forever. From the series’ inception to its finale in 2019, the American star managed to earn a staggering nine Emmy wins alongside five nominations for the very same show.
Playing the former Senator Selina Meyer in the award-winning comedy, Dreyfus perfectly embodies the mind of the character and discovers that being Vice President of the United States is far more stressful than she imagined. Created by Armando Iannucci, Dreyfus thrives in the show alongside the likes of Anna Chlumsky, Tony Hale and Reid Scott.
Close behind Dreyfus in the list of the most-decorated Emmy award winners is Cloris Leachman, who won on eight different occasions and Mary Tyler Moore, who has won seven over the course of her celebrated career.
