The 51st ANNUAL DAYTIME EMMY AWARDS will be held on Friday, June 7, with the ceremony airing live on CBS starting at 8 p.m. ET. Soap Opera Digest chatted with the nominees to get the scoop on how they found out, what episodes they submitted, and more as we count down to daytime’s biggest night!
Howard Wise/jpistudios.com
Outstanding Lead Actress
Annika Noelle (Hope, Bold And Beautiful)
What did you submit?
“I was lucky enough to have such wonderful material to choose from this past year and I wanted to take the viewer on as much of a story arc as possible. Casey [Kasprzyk, Supervising Producer for Bold and Beautiful] actually remembered these brilliant scenes I did with KKL [Katherine Kelly Lang, Brooke] in the beginning of the year where Hope Logan confronts Brooke about going after Ridge and disrespecting Taylor. She really starts to unravel before the real truth emerges, that she is terrified of following in her mother’s footsteps in matters of the heart. She declares that her marriage to Liam is strong and refuses to admit that she is being swayed by the resident “bad boy” Thomas. Hope’s denial of her feelings for Thomas continues until she is finally confronted by Liam and forced to admit that she gave into her desires for Thomas while in Italy with a kiss. A heated confrontation follows between mother and daughter when Brooke discovers Hope in bed with Thomas, as Brooke urges her to fight for her marriage while Hope resists. Concluding the reel with the heartbreaking scene between Liam and Hope as they decide to end their marriage. I wanted to show Hope’s growth over the year from a conflicted girl, easily influenced by the opinions of those around her, to a woman embracing the choices that she makes for herself, whether good or bad. At least they’re hers to make.”
How did you find out you were nominated?
“While out on a walk with my love and my dog Huckleberry, I received the most wonderful phone call from our publicist Eva [Basler, Vice President, Communications & Talent Relations for B&B]. I couldn’t believe it! It was my first time submitting in the lead category and I knew it was a risk. And to be nominated with such legends of daytime truly meant the world. It also was extra sentimental for me, after this difficult past year, hearing the news from Eva as well. She means so much to me & the Bold and Beautiful family so it was incredibly meaningful to have her tell me.”
Did any of the congratulations messages that you received stand out?
“The outpouring of love was so overwhelming. I’m still getting messages days later! Trying my best to respond to each and every person but I made sure to call my TV mama [KKL] right away. I FaceTimed her and she actually picked up while she was riding horseback. We had a good happy squeal congratulating each other. She didn’t know it, but I saved a bottle of Dom Perignon she gifted me after my first nomination in 2020. I swore that I would only open it for something truly worth celebrating, and four years later, I finally popped the bubbly! Thanks, Mama.”
Did you do anything to celebrate?
“Whether I got a nomination or not, my love made sure that we were going to celebrate the hard work I put in the past year. He made reservations at one of our favorite restaurants and after the initial flurry of phone calls, I put my phone on silent and enjoyed the moment with him.”
What does the nomination mean to you?
“It is the sunshine after the storm. Last year was a very difficult year for me personally. While my life was blowing up, this show was a constant. I could depend on it. I would come in, pour my heart into the work, and was supported by the cast and crew around me. They had my back. That’s the thing about daytime. It doesn’t stop for life. Good days or bad, the highs or lows — there you are somehow getting through it all turning in four episodes of work in one take. And this nomination is so meaningful to me because it means the daytime community recognized it. The work, the heartache, the battles fought…that it was all worth it because it made an impact.”
Will anyone in your family be attending the Emmys with you?
“All my family is spread out across the globe this year so I might just take a special someone instead to hold my purse on the carpet.”
Any thoughts on your fellow nominees in your category?
“That it is an honor to be amongst them. I am so incredibly grateful. I have the utmost respect for women in the daytime community and I’m just going to say it — every one of us is a badass. Obviously, I have such admiration for my TV mama KKL and I’m excited to be nominated with Tamara [Braun, Days of our Lives] again. Finola, I am such a fan (totally watched her episode on WWHL [Watch What Happens Live!]) and Cynthia [Watros, General Hospital] and Michelle [Stafford, Young and Restless] are complete legends as well. I look forward to celebrating with them soon and getting to know them even better.”
Are you a “prepare a speech” or wing-it kind of person?
“I would probably prepare a speech and then totally forget it once my nerves and social anxiety kick in! In the most endearingly awkward, fall up the stairs to the stage, kind of way. I just hope that I remember everyone I want to thank. I would feel horrible if I forgot anyone.”
Do you have a lucky charm that you bring to these events?
“Honestly, it is my first time being nominated while not in a pandemic. When I was nominated for Supporting Actress in 2020, it was at the height of the lockdown so it was a bit of a bizarre scenario over Zoom where you had to pre-record a video that they would play if you won. So I’m not even sure of what I would bring to a real live in-person ceremony. I am from Boston though, so I’m known to be wicked superstitious.”
How do you feel about B&B’s other acting nominations?
“Couldn’t be more proud. We’re a tight-knit crew and we give it our all. The caliber of actors on our show is outstanding and I learn and grow from everyone each passing day. They make me a better actor and more importantly, I am the woman I am today in large part thanks to them. I couldn’t be happier for my B&B family and I’ll be cheering them on.”
