Since its inception , the award has been given to 24 actors . '' General Hospital '' has the most awarded actors in this category with a total of eleven wins . In 2008 , Anthony Geary became the actor with the most wins in the category when he won for a sixth time , surpassing David Canary 's previous record . Geary went on to win again in 2012 and 2015 , thus far winning on eight occasions . Peter Bergman has been nominated on 20 occasions , more than any other actor . As of the 2019 ceremony , Maurice Bernard is the most recent winner in this category for his portrayal of Sonny Corinthos on '' General Hospital ''
2019 ceremony
46th Daytime Emmy Awards
Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series