We Weigh In: Which Younger Performer Deserves To Win A Daytime Emmy?

The Daytime Emmys are descending on Hollywood on June 24th. To prepare viewers for the glamor and prestige of soap opera’s big night, Fame10 is analyzing the competition between nominees in each category. 

Let’s discuss the category of Younger Performer in a Daytime Drama Series. As we select the nominee who (we believe) deserves the recognition, we’ll also tally your votes in the poll below. 

The nominees are: 

• Lindsay Arnold as Allie Horton on Days Of Our Lives (DOOL)
• Nicholas Alexander Chavez as Spencer Cassadine on General Hospital (GH)
• Alyvia Alyn Lind as Faith Newman on The Young and the Restless (Y&R)
• William Lipton as Cameron Webber on General Hospital (GH) 
• Sydney Mikayla as Trina Robinson on General Hospital (GH).
  

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Lindsay Arnold as Allie Horton (DOOL)

This is Lindsay Arnold’s first Daytime Emmy nomination, having debuted on DOOL in 2020. Her character, Allie Horton, immediately took center stage in a storyline about consent and, later on, expecting a baby while still a teenager. The role demanded a range of emotions, which Arnold capably delivered. 

Last year, Allie found herself having conflicted feelings when her friend, Chanel Dupree (played by Raven Bowens), moved to Salem. As it turns out, the two had been more than strictly friends overseas, and Arnold once again gave a convincing portrait of confusion as she realized her sexual fluidity.

2

Nicholas Alexander Chavez as Spencer Cassadine (GH)

Arnold and GH’s Nicholas Chavez are the oldest nominees in this youth category – four years older than Lipton and Mikayla, and eight years older than Lind. However, the similarities between Arnold and Chavez end there. Whereas Arnold deserves her nomination, Chavez deserves to win.

As a newcomer to daytime drama, Chavez has instilled a beloved child character (formerly played by Nicolas Bechtel) with all the rage, confusion, insolence and privilege of a true Cassadine heir. His natural performance style and understated delivery make him a mesmerizing addition to the GH cast. The biggest question around Chavez is whether the ABC soap can hang onto him!

Not only has Chavez proven his mettle by going toe-to-toe with Marcus Coloma (and coming off more dangerous than his on-screen dad), but he’s undeniably a romantic lead as well. His dysfunctional relationship with Esme (Avery Kristen Pohl) feels very grounded in reality, while his sparks with Trina (now played by Tabyana Ali) are making a new generation of GH viewers swoon.

3

Will Lipton As Cameron Webber (GH)

Do the Daytime Emmys give trophies to the casting department? Because if so, GH had better score one for this category! Chavez, Lipton and Mikayla (alongside Eden McCoy, who wasn’t nominated this year) have fostered a fearless environment in which they challenge each other creatively. As a result, the Port Charles teen scene has deserved every storyline over the past year.

Will Lipton and Sydney Mikayla have both been nominated in this category before (in 2019 and 2021, respectively). Much like DOOL’s Arnold, Lipton has been consistent in his portrayal of Cameron Webber, showing all the vulnerability that comes with the teen territory. 

Surrounded by Chavez, Mikayla and McCoy, Lipton tends to come off as the only real teenager in the bunch. It’s unclear whether that impression is earned through his performance techniques or a natural consequence of his boyish looks. But either way, it doesn’t hurt Lipton’s chances.

4

Sydney Mikayla As Trina Robinson (GH)

Where Lipton has carefully eased into grown-up storylines, Mikayla has elevated her game significantly. The actress, who recently departed GH in order to focus on her college education, has grown into a fierce performer. There’s real strength in her portrayal, whether Trina is exploring her feelings for Spencer or trash-talking Esme.

From a public image perspective, there’s no better time for Mikayla to nab a Daytime Emmy in this category. She’s a darling with viewers and cast-mates alike, and left GH at the peak of her popularity. Can anyone stop her from taking this trophy?

5

Alyvia Alyn Lind As Faith Newman (Y&R)

Enter: Alyvia Alyn Lind. The former Y&R actress not only has two prior nominations in this category (in 2017 and 2021), but she also left daytime television at the climax of her character’s major storyline. Lind has continued to build her career with a credit in the 2021 film Masquerade and a prime time role on the TV series Chucky. 

Will Lind land herself a Daytime Emmy when soap operas appear to be in her rearview mirror? Or will the trophy go to a budding talent who viewers hope will stay in the daytime drama game for years to come? Although her future goals have nothing to do with her Y&R performance, voters could take her absence into consideration. 

6

Fame10 Prediction/Pick: Nicholas Alexander Chavez as Spencer Cassadine on GH.

At the age of 23, Chavez already seems too mature to be a nominee of this category. But that’s the size of his on-screen presence, which would’ve competed just as well in a more established category like Supporting Actor. Chavez has had an incredible first year in daytime television and shows signs of becoming a lead actor, not unlike co-star Maurice Benard.

As talented as the other nominees are, nobody turned heads quite like Chavez in 2021.

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