Now that A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' first season has come to a close, fans are already discussing the show's future. While Season 2 is currently in the works, and, after casting some big names, is expected to air in 2027, many audience members are hoping that the fantastic first season can earn some love come Emmy season.
While A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' predecessor, Game of Thrones, became an Emmy favorite, with its 59 total Emmys solidifying it as the most awarded show in Emmys history, the newest HBO series based on the works of George R.R. Martin may have an uphill battle to earn its fair share. The Best Drama Series category will be crowded with other fantastic shows this year, including last year's champion, The Pitt, and the category rarely favors series with shorter runtimes. Still, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is more than worthy of Emmy recognition.
Hopefully, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' acting, one of the series' strongest elements, will earn Emmy recognition this upcoming year. Peter Claffey, who plays Ser Duncan the Tall, a.k.a. "Dunk," anchored the entire season with his down to earth and nuanced portrayal of the titular Hedge Knight. Meanwhile, Daniel Ings, who portrays Ser Lyonel Baratheon, stole just about every scene, and Bertie Carvell's take on Prince Baelor Targaryen made him an instant fan favorite, so either of those actors could receive some love in the Supporting Actor category.
However, one of the series' most inspired potential Emmy nods would come in the form of a (presumably) Supporting Actor nomination for Dexter Sol Ansell, who brought young Egg, a.k.a. Aegon Targaryen, to life. Ansell's performance captivated audiences, intriguing viewers from his first appearance in the season premiere, "The Hedge Knight," becoming a major standout in the third episode, "The Squire," and breaking everyone's heart in the season finale, "The Morrow."
Unfortunately, historically, Sol Ansell's age may prove to be a hindrance to his awards chances. The Emmys rarely recognize younger talent. The youngest winner in the Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series category's history, Chad Lowe, who earned his award for his work on Life Goes On, was still 26 years old at the time of his victory, over twice as old as Sol Ansell, who's currently 11. Even Game of Thrones' iconic child stars, Maisie Williams (Arya Stark) and Sophie Turner (Sansa Stark), had to wait until they'd grown up to receive their first nominations for the show, for season 6 and 8 respectively.
However, last year's ceremony may have provided a glimmer of hope for Ansell, with a history-making winner potentially paving a path for everyone's favorite Egg to earn an Emmy nomination, or even a win.
Owen Cooper's Emmy Success
At the 2025 Emmy awards, Owen Cooper took home the trophy for Best Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for his performance as Jamie Miller, a young murder suspect accused of killing a girl in his school, in Adolescence. Cooper, currently 16 years old, became the youngest winner in the category's history.
Adolescence itself proved to be an Emmy favorite. The Netflix limited series took home nine prizes, including Best Limited or Anthology Series, and two more acting prizes for Stephen Graham and Erin Doherty. However, Cooper remained a focal point throughout Adolescence's awards run, also earning prizes at the Golden Globes, Critic's Choice, and SAG Actor awards, among several other huge accolades.
What does this mean for Dexter Sol Ansell?
In recent years, the Emmys have followed their own trends from the previous year. For example, one year after the historic "Schitt's Sweep," in which Schitt's Creek won all seven televised comedy awards during the 2020 ceremony, The Crown pulled off a similar sweep throughout the drama categories, including a Supporting Actor win for Game of Thrones alumnus Tobias Menzies, who played Edmure Tully. Even Thrones itself has benefitted from these Emmy patterns, taking home Best Drama Series and Best Supporting Actor for Peter Dinklage (Tyrion Lannister) two years in a row.
As such, Cooper's win may have paved the way for another younger performer, Dexter Sol Ansell, to receive Emmy recognition at the next ceremony. If Cooper broke the mold in terms of recognition for child stars, then hopefully, Ansell would be able to follow suit and earn a well deserved Emmy nomination, or even the trophy itself.
To watch Dexter Sol Ansell's spectacular performance as Egg, make sure to stream A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Season 1, which is now available in its entirety on HBO Max.