General Hospital star Genie Francis will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) at the 53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards.
On Tuesday, September 3, NATAS announced Francis as the 2026 recipient of the prestigious accolade. Francis has played Laura Spencer for nearly 50 years, having joined General Hospital in 1977.
“I want to offer my deepest gratitude to the leadership of NATAS for honoring me with this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award,” the actress said in a statement. “This February marks 50 years since I first portrayed Laura on General Hospital. Stepping onto that set at just 14, I could never have imagined the extraordinary journey that lay ahead.”
Francis’ message continued, “I am deeply grateful to have been welcomed onto your television screens and into your homes for five decades; for the love, support and loyalty I’ve been given; and for the privilege of being a small part of your lives.”
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To conclude her statement, Francis shared, “Thank you to NATAS, my colleagues, the daytime community and, most of all, the viewers. My career in daytime television has truly been the adventure of a lifetime, and I am deeply honored by this recognition.”
On Friday, October 30, Francis will accept her Lifetime Achievement Award at the 53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles.
NATAS President and CEO Adam Sharp said in a statement, “We are thrilled to celebrate Genie Francis’ remarkable career. From Port Charles and beyond, she has left an indelible mark on the landscape of daytime television, and she continues to tackle bold topics as a courageous storyteller to this day.”
In addition to General Hospital, Francis has appeared in soap operas like Days of Our Lives, All My Children, and The Young and the Restless. She also made history for a 1981 GH episode featuring Laura and Luke’s wedding, which attracted a staggering 30 million viewers.
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2026 Daytime Emmy Awards, Friday, October 30, Streaming live on the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and via The Emmys app
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