These 3 ‘Game of Thrones’ Stars Submitted Themselves for Emmy Nominations…and It Worked

Just when we thought we understood how the Emmy nominating process works, this happened.

It all started earlier this week when D’arcy Carden and Ken Jeong announced the nominees for the 2019 Emmy Awards, where several Game of Thrones stars—including Alfie Allen (Theon Greyjoy), Gwendoline Christie (Brienne of Tarth) and Carice van Houten (Melisandre)—received nods for the popular HBO series.

Although the announcement caught the actors off guard, it appears they weren’t the only ones who were surprised by the nominations. As it turns out, HBO didn’t submit the three stars for consideration by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

So, each of the actors nominated themselves, which included covering the $225 entry fee, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

It’s important to point out that it’s not uncommon for celebs to submit themselves for award shows, since it’s not feasible for the networks to enter every single cast member. However, it is rare that these submissions result in nominations, so it’s a pretty big deal.

The 71st annual Emmy Awards will take place on September 22 at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. While Allen and Christie are nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor/Actress in a Drama Series, van Houten is up for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how it’s done.