Twelve times Game of Thrones stars should’ve won Emmys but didn’t

Peter Dinklage is the only Game of Thrones cast member to ever win an Emmy. Voters passed over a lot of worthy performances over the years.

The 71st Annual Primetime Emmy Awards went down this weekend, and despite several categories stuffed full of Game of Thrones cast and crew members — the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama award had four cast members in it, representing over half the nominees — the show came away with one two awards: one for Outstanding Drama Series and one for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama, for Peter Dinklage’s performance as Tyrion Lannister.

No, it’s slightly ridiculous to say that Thrones took home “only” those awards; the first is the biggest award of the night, and this is Dinklage’s fourth Emmy for the role. And let’s not forget that the final season took home 10 statues at the Creative Arts Emmys just a week back. Still, as good as Dinklage has been, it grates a bit that he’s the only star to ever walk away with an Emmy for acting; the gods know that he wasn’t the only excellent performer on the show.

So, in lieu of actual Emmys, let’s walk through 12 times a Game of Thrones star deserved to win an Emmy but didn’t, whether they were nominated or not. Sure, the actors can’t put this imaginary award on their mantlepiece, but they also never have to clean it, so it balances out.