The Daytime Emmys announced the winners of the 2021 Fiction and Lifestyle Programming Awards in a ceremony that streamed on the Emmy OTT platform the evening of Sunday, July 18. The fun-filled event included several categories honoring Digital Dramas (now dubbed "Daytime Fiction"), and while soapy titles like The Bay and Studio City were not represented in the Outstanding Daytime Fiction Program category, the shows boasted several nominees familiar to daytime fans in the acting categories (which you can read about here).
In the fiercely competitive competition, just two actors with soap opera connections ended the night as winners, one being Days of our Lives' star Mike Manning (ex-Charlie Dale), who took home the award in the Outstanding Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Daytime Fiction Program category for his work as Caleb McKinnon on The Bay.
Manning was up against Neil Crone as Mr. Leopold on Endlings and Cheyenne Jackson as Caleb Covington on Julie and the Phantoms, as well as soap opera alums Eric Nelsen (ex-A.J. Chandler, All My Children), who was up for his work as Daniel Garrett on The Bay, and Tristan Rogers (Robert Scorpio, GH; ex-Colin Atkinson, Y&R), who was nominated for his work as Daniel DOC Smith on Studio City.
"I didn't expect this. I'm still in shock," Manning tweeted after his big win. "Thank you everyone who had a hand in getting me here! The producers, the fans, @TheBaytheSeries team, my family, I love you all!! Thank you x1000. #DaytimeEmmys"
I didn't expect this. I'm still in shock. Thank you everyone who had a hand in getting me here! The producers, the fans, @TheBaytheSeries team, my family, I love you all!! Thank you x1000. #DaytimeEmmys https://t.co/THvuNSMRJA pic.twitter.com/A5R8orBdRN
- Mike Manning (@mike_manning_) July 19, 2021
The Bay found itself with double the reason to celebrate during the event, because Chiara D'Ambrosio (ex-Summer Newman, The Young and the Restless) took home the award in the Outstanding Younger Performer in a Daytime Fiction Program for her work as the soap's character Regan Sanders.
D'Ambrosio found herself competing against her sister, Bianca D'Ambrosio (ex-Summer Newman, Y&R), who was nominated for her work as Frankie Sanders on The Bay, as well as Isaac Arellanes as Ruben Reyna in Ghostwriter, Arista Arhin as Sam in Lockdown, Madison Reyes as Julie in Julie and the Phantoms, and Amir Wilson as Tiuri in The Letter for the King.
"Words cannot express this moment," D'Ambrosio shared on Instagram after taking home the win. "Thank you to the television academy and judges for considering my work this season. Special thank you to Gregori J. Martin, Kristos Andrews, and Wendy Riche for giving me the opportunity to play Regan Sanders. It is an honor to play such an amazing character, and being a part of this show makes me feel so grateful. Thank you to my team for continuing to help me work towards my dreams. My parents, my rock, have inspired me in more ways than I can ever describe. They push me to be the best person I can be, and they have made me into the strong and determined woman I am today. Last but not least, my best friend, Bianca. We started this industry together, and I cannot have imagined being here today without you by my side. Congratulations to all of the other nominees tonight, and thank you god! ♥️ #daytimeemmys"
In addition to celebrating Manning and D'Ambrosio, The Bay is also celebrating Kristos Andrews, who won in the Outstanding Performance by a Lead Actor in a Daytime Fiction Program category for his work as Pete Garrett, and Karrueche Tran, who won in the Outstanding Performance by a Lead Actress in a Daytime Fiction Program category for her work as Vivian Johnson-Garrett.
To see the complete list of this year's Daytime Emmy Fiction and Lifestyle Programming Awards winners, click here.
Would you like to leave a congratulatory message for this year's Daytime Emmy Fiction and Lifestyle Programming winners? What do you think about Mike Manning and Chiara D'Ambrosio taking home top honors in their categories, and the The Bay boasting four acting award winners? We want to hear from you -- so drop your comments in the Comments section below, tweet about it on Twitter, share it on Facebook, or chat about it on our Message Boards.
