Jason Thompson Of ‘The Young And The Restless’ Wins Daytime Emmy Award For Outstanding Lead Actor

The Young and the Restless star Jason Thompson won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for his portrayal of Billy Abbott. Tonight’s win was the actor’s first after six nominations throughout his daytime career, and it was one of four wins for the evening for Y&R.

The 47th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards aired on CBS tonight in a different format due to the coronavirus pandemic, and the actors watched and accepted their awards from home. Thompson’s wife and two children joined as he gave his acceptance speech.

The actor’s reel for the Daytime Emmys showed chilling scenes as Billy spiraled out of control after Adam Newman (Mark Grossman) returned to Genoa City after being presumed dead for nearly three years. Billy could not stand that the man who caused his daughter Delia’s death was back in town living a relatively normal life while he still reeled from losing his daughter.

As things deteriorated, Billy ended up blacking out and losing time. He shared with Victoria (Amelia Heinle) that even during his waking hours, he did not know what was real or not, as he continued to hear Delia crying out for him and his help. It slowly drove him to the brink of madness, and the chilling reel culminated with a scene where Billy literally wrestled with himself to rid his head of the demons. In the end, he told Victoria that he was finally okay. Unfortunately for the couple, they did not end up surviving Billy’s incredibly difficult year, though, and now Billy is working with his mom, Jill (Jess Walton), and Lily (Christel Khalil) at Chancellor Industry’s new division.

These evocative moments clinched the trophy for Thompson.

Several of Thompson’s Y&R co-stars congratulated him on the win.

“Hooray,” wrote his on-screen sister, Eileen Davidson, who plays Ashley Abbott, and she added several clapping hands, heart, and kiss emoji.

Michael Mealor, who portrays Billy’s nephew Kyle Abbott, shared horn and confetti emoji in celebration. The actress who plays his on-screen niece Abby Newman, Melissa Ordway, shared similar sentiments.

“Congrats,” exclaimed Melody Thomas Scott, who plays Nikki Newman. She also used purple heart, star, and confetti horn emoji to express her delight for Thompson.

Thompson won among an outstanding field of nominees from all four remaining soap operas. They included Steve Burton as Jason Morgan on General Hospital, Thorsten Kaye as Ridge Forrester on The Bold and the Beautiful, Jon Lindstrom as Kevin Collins/Ryan Chamberlain on General Hospital, and Thaao Penghlis as Tony DiMera on Days of Our Lives.