# The actors with the most Emmys ever

> Betty White, Bryan Cranston, Julia Louis-Dreyfus: here is who TV's biggest award loves most.
- Title: The actors with the most Emmys ever · Business Insider
- Summary: Betty White, Bryan Cranston, Julia Louis-Dreyfus: here is who TV's biggest award loves most. Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Cloris Leachman lead all performers with…
- Keywords: emmys, television, awards, acting, hollywood, business, technology, actors, most, ever, Business Insider
- Source: Business Insider — https://businessinsider.com/actors-with-most-emmy-awards
- Author: Gabbi Shaw
- Published: 2026-09-13T13:15:01.305+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: emmys, television, awards, acting, hollywood, business, technology
## TV's biggest prize
The Emmy is the highest honor an actor can earn for small-screen work, and voters reward favorites again and again.

> An Emmy is the biggest award an actor can win for their work on the small screen
## Voters play favorites
When a show or performance catches on with Emmy voters, the nominations and wins tend to pile up season after season.
## Who made the list
The ranking pulls in some of the most recognizable names in TV history, among them Bryan Cranston, Betty White, Mary Tyler Moore, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus.
## Eight wins, tied at the top
Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Cloris Leachman each hold eight Emmy wins for performance, the most of anyone on the list.
## Eleven if you count everything
Add awards from other categories and Louis-Dreyfus ties Carl Reiner at 11 total Emmys, the highest tally on the list.
## Not all of them for acting
Some of these Emmys came from writing, directing, or producing. Cranston produced "Breaking Bad" and Louis-Dreyfus is an executive producer on "Veep."

> the majority of their Emmys are for acting
## Key takeaway

Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Cloris Leachman lead all performers with eight acting Emmys apiece.