Game of Thrones broke the record for most Emmy nominations for any show in a single year on Tuesday by picking up 32 nods for its eighth and final season. But without the help of Gwendoline Christie, who submitted herself for consideration in the Supporting Actress in a Drama Series category, Thrones wouldn’t have earned quite so many.
After HBO decided to only put forth Lena Headey (Cersei Lannister), Sophie Turner (Sansa Stark) and Maisie Williams (Arya Stark) in the supporting actress race, Christie apparently went ahead and self-submitted her work as Ser Brienne of Tarth, knight of the Seven Kingdoms. And as should come as a surprise to no one who watched this season, she was nominated.
Christie immediately took to social media to celebrate her all-too-deserving nomination. “I CANT BELIEVE IT!!!!!!????!?!!?!!!!!!!!!” she wrote on Instagram. “THANK YOU UNIVERSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
And her fans were right there with her. “HBO didn’t submit Gwendoline Christie for an Emmy so she submitted herself and got a nomination,” tweeted one Brienne enthusiast. “Be your own biggest cheerleader.”
Christie, of course, was in good company as her Game of Thrones costars Alfie Allen (Theon Greyjoy) and Carice van Houten (Melisandre) also self-submitted and were nominated in the Supporting Actor in a Drama Series and Guest Actress in a Drama Series categories, respectively.
See some of the best responses to Christie’s good news below.
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