1990s
| Year | Actor | Program | Role | Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989-1990 |
||||
| Patricia Wettig | thirtysomething | Nancy Krieger-Weston | ABC | |
| Dana Delany | China Beach | Colleen McMurphy | ABC | |
| Jill Eikenberry | L.A. Law | Ann Kelsey | NBC | |
| Angela Lansbury | Murder, She Wrote | Jessica Fletcher | CBS | |
| Piper Laurie | Twin Peaks | Catherine Martell | ABC | |
| 1990-1991 |
||||
| Patricia Wettig | thirtysomething | Nancy Krieger-Weston | ABC | |
| Dana Delany | China Beach | Colleen McMurphy | ABC | |
| Sharon Gless | The Trials of Rosie O'Neill | Rosie O'Neill | CBS | |
| Angela Lansbury | Murder, She Wrote | Jessica Fletcher | CBS | |
| 1991-1992 |
||||
| Dana Delany | China Beach | Colleen McMurphy | ABC | |
| Sharon Gless | The Trials of Rosie O'Neill | Rosie O'Neill | CBS | |
| Shirley Knight | Law & Order | Melanie Currants | NBC | |
| Angela Lansbury | Murder, She Wrote | Jessica Fletcher | CBS | |
| Kate Nelligan | Road to Avonlea | Sydney Carver | Disney Channel | |
| Regina Taylor | I'll Fly Away | Lilly Harper | NBC | |
| 1992-1993 |
||||
| Kathy Baker | Picket Fences | Jill Brock | CBS | |
| Swoosie Kurtz | Sisters | Alex Reed | NBC | |
| Angela Lansbury | Murder, She Wrote | Jessica Fletcher | CBS | |
| Regina Taylor | I'll Fly Away | Lilly Harper | NBC | |
| Janine Turner | Northern Exposure | Maggie O'Connell | CBS | |
| 1993-1994 |
||||
| Sela Ward | Sisters | Teddy Reed | NBC | |
| Kathy Baker | Picket Fences | Jill Brock | CBS | |
| Swoosie Kurtz | Sisters | Alex Reed | NBC | |
| Angela Lansbury | Murder, She Wrote | Jessica Fletcher | CBS | |
| Jane Seymour | Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman | Michaela Quinn | CBS | |
| 1994-1995 |
||||
| Kathy Baker | Picket Fences | Jill Brock | CBS | |
| Claire Danes | My So-Called Life | Angela Chase | ABC | |
| Angela Lansbury | Murder, She Wrote | Jessica Fletcher | CBS | |
| Sherry Stringfield | ER | Susan Lewis | NBC | |
| Cicely Tyson | Sweet Justice | Carrie Grace Battle | NBC | |
| 1995-1996 |
||||
| Kathy Baker | Picket Fences | Jill Brock | CBS | |
| Gillian Anderson | The X-Files | Dana Scully | Fox | |
| Christine Lahti | Chicago Hope | Kathryn Austin | CBS | |
| Angela Lansbury | Murder, She Wrote | Jessica Fletcher | CBS | |
| Sherry Stringfield | ER | Susan Lewis | NBC | |
| 1996-1997 |
||||
| Gillian Anderson | The X-Files | Dana Scully | Fox | |
| Roma Downey | Touched by an Angel | Monica | CBS | |
| Christine Lahti | Chicago Hope | Kathryn Austin | CBS | |
| Julianna Margulies | ER | Carol Hathaway | NBC | |
| Sherry Stringfield | ER | Susan Lewis | NBC | |
| 1997-1998 |
||||
| Christine Lahti | Chicago Hope | Kathryn Austin | CBS | |
| Gillian Anderson | The X-Files | Dana Scully | Fox | |
| Roma Downey | Touched by an Angel | Monica | CBS | |
| Julianna Margulies | ER | Carol Hathaway | NBC | |
| Jane Seymour | Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman | Michaela Quinn | CBS | |
| 1998-1999 |
||||
| Edie Falco | The Sopranos | Carmela Soprano | HBO | |
| Gillian Anderson | The X-Files | Dana Scully | Fox | |
| Lorraine Bracco | The Sopranos | Jennifer Melfi | HBO | |
| Christine Lahti | Chicago Hope | Kathryn Austin | CBS | |
| Julianna Margulies | ER | Carol Hathaway | NBC |
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