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Table of Contents

- Lead Actress in a Drama

- Lead Actor in a Drama

- Best On-Screen Couple

- Villainess of the Year

- Villain of the Year

Hear ye, hear ye! All vertical drama fans, I bring some incredibly exciting news for you—the nominations for the 2026 Vertical Drama Love Fan Awards are out, and our favorites have been nominated (I'm internally screaming right now). The award ceremony is scheduled to take place TONIGHT in Los Angeles!

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The Vertical Drama Love Awards are an independently organized event by Jen of Vertical Drama Love to celebrate the performances, writing, and production of the vertical drama industry. These awards recognize all the hard work that goes behind micro dramas!

ReelShort / Via reelshort.com

Without further ado, let's get into the highlights of the nominations for the 2026 Vertical Drama Love Awards!

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Lead Actress in a Drama

Cayla Brady as Penny in To My Romeo With Love

Steve Chadwick - © Steve Chadwick / ReelShort / Via reelshort.com

Cayla Brady is from Florida and has been acting since the age of seven. She starred in several commercials for Disney, Universal Studios, and various others before finding herself working opposite Russell Crowe in the film The Nice Guys in 2015.

Since then, she has starred in prominent vertical dramas alongside To My Romeo, With Love, such as Taming the Mad King, Mic Drop Diva, and Fake Dating the Quarterback on Christmas.

Emily Gately as Amelia in The Encore of Us

IMDB / Stardust TV / Via stardusttv.net

Emily Gateley is an actress from Washington. She is known for her roles in the films Burn it All (2021) and Aberdeen (2019).

Apart from The Encore of Us, she has also appeared in vertical dramas such as The Billionaire's Ugly Wife, and The Day You Came Back.

Mariah Moss as Lily in Queen of Court

IMDB / ReelShort

Mariah Moss is an award-winning actress who graduated with a BFA in Drama from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. She has worked across film, theater, and new media. She is also a singer and pianist.

Apart from Queen of Court, she has starred in vertical dramas like Falling in Love by a Mistaken Vow and Long Lost.

Nicole Mattox as Nicole in Queen Never Cry

IMDB / ReelShort / Via reelshort.com

Nicole Mattox is a Los Angeles-based actress who started her professional acting career in 2021. She has taken on roles in short films, television series, feature films, and vertical dramas.

Apart from Queen Never Cry, she is known for her roles in Lady Outlaw, Knight Watchmen, and The Hitwoman.

Tess Dinerstein as Harper in How to Tame a Silver Fox

Gregory Wallace - © GREGORY WALLACE / IMDB / ReelShort / Via reelshort.com

Tess Dinerstein is an actress known for her work in Brothers From the Suburbs (2019), The Chicago Code (2011), and Death (2010).

She has also starred in several vertical dramas such as Body Swap, The Crash of Light and Dark, and The One I Was Meant to Marry.

Lead Actor in a Drama

Eric Guilmette as Troy in How We Measure Guilt in Bed

Photo by Gaurav Shah / IMDB / Dreameshort

Eric Taylor Guilmette is an American actor, producer and poet. His most notable film is Tails of Christmas. He is known for vertical drama series such as You Belong With Me, Campus Rivals, and The Unwanted Mate. He has led 30+ vertical series for all major platforms so far.

Cayman Cardiff as Nathaniel in The Cost of Touch

Photo by Luke Fontana / IMDB / Via dramapops.co

Cayman Cardiff is an actor who began his acting career in musical theater during school. He has starred in commercials and also a movie—his first—for Lifetime.

He has also worked in vertical dramas such as Forgive Me Father, Good Girl Gone Bad, and That Missing Rockstar is My Husband.

Jesse Morales as Chris in How to Tame a Silver Fox

IMDB / ReelShort / Via reelshort.com

Jesse A. Morales is an American actor and a former professional dancer. He was a featured performer in Magic Mike Live and has shared the stage with superstars like Beyoncé and Mariah Carey.

He has worked on numerous vertical drama series such as Chained to My Prison Guard, Queen of the Court, and American Sniper: The Last Round.

Marc Herrmann as Jack in Love is a Dangerous Dance

Photo by Brian Powers / IMDB / ReelShort / Via reelshort.com

Marc Herrmann is an actor and writer from San Diego. He is best known for his work in Undercover Prison King, American Sniper: The Last Round, I am Bloody Mary, and Love is a Dangerous Dance.

10.

Nick Ritacco as Anthony in Love Always Finds its Way.

IMDB / @nick.ritacco via Instagram / DramaWave

Nick Ritacco is an actor and athlete from Chicago. He has performed in numerous theatrical productions and even launched his own Shakesp

2025 Vertical Drama Love Fan Awards Nominees Revealed