Emilia Clarke, Kit Harington and Maisie Williams were snubbed in the 2018 Emmy nominations announced last week for their performances in the seventh season of “Game of Thrones.” However, history suggests that they will be nominated next year for the final season. It is a common phenomenon that actors who are overlooked for the penultimate season of a show are cited for the final season.
Clarke was first nominated in 2013 for the third season, then was nominated in 2015 for the fifth season and 2016 for the sixth season. “Game of Thrones” did not compete in 2017. Harington and Williams only broke through with nominations in 2016 for the sixth season. Clarke and Harington submitted in the leading categories this year, having submitted with Williams in supporting previously.
“Game of Thrones” still has four acting nominations this year. Peter Dinklage is the only cast member who has been nominated every season; he won Best Drama Supporting Actor in 2011 for the first season and 2015 for the fifth season. Nikolaj Coster-Waldau is nominated alongside him this year for the first time. This is the fourth consecutive season that Lena Headey has been nominated for Best Drama Supporting Actress. Diana Rigg is also on her fourth “Game of Thrones” nomination, having previously been nominated for Best Drama Guest Actress in 2013, 2014 and 2015.
These are the recent precedents for Clarke, Harington and Williams to get a goodbye hug:
- Maggie Smith won consecutive Emmys in 2011 and 2012 for the first two seasons of “Downton Abbey” and continued to be nominated in 2013 and 2014, then was snubbed in 2015, only to win Best Drama Supporting Actress again in 2016 for the sixth and final season.
- Elisabeth Moss was snubbed in 2008 for the first season of “Mad Men,” then was nominated for the next five seasons, only to be snubbed in 2014 for the show’s penultimate outing. She returned for the last time to the Best Drama Actress lineup in 2015.
- Jane Krakowski was not nominated for Best Comedy Supporting Actress until 2009 for the third season of “30 Rock,” then did not miss again until 2012 for the penultimate season; she received her fourth nomination in 2013 for the final season.
- Kathryn Joosten appeared in all eight seasons of “Desperate Housewives.” She won Best Comedy Guest Actress in 2005 and 2008 and was nominated again in 2010. She was snubbed in 2011 for the penultimate season, then was nominated for Best Comedy Supporting Actress in 2012 for the final season.
- Edie Falco and James Gandolfini were nominated for the first five years that “The Sopranos” contended: 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003 and 2004. Falco won Best Drama Actress in 1999, 2001 and 2003; Gandolfini won Best Drama Actor in 2000, 2001 and 2003. The pair was snubbed in 2006 for the show’s sixth year, but were nominated again in 2007 for the final episodes.
- Allison Janney and Martin Sheen were nominated for all seasons of “The West Wing” except the penultimate. Janney won in 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2004 and was nominated in 2003 and 2006; Sheen lost all six of his Best Drama Actor nominations.
- Peter Krause was nominated for Best Drama Actor in 2002 for the debut of “Six Feet Under” and was nominated again in 2003, but missed in 2005 when the show was next eligible. He received his third nomination in 2006 for the final season.
- Ray Romano received his first Best Comedy Actor nomination in 1999 for the third season of “Everybody Loves Raymond.” He continued to be nominated through 2003, winning in 2002, but missed in 2004 for the penultimate season. He received his sixth nomination in 2005 for the show’s final season.
- Kelsey Grammer was nominated in Best Comedy Actor from 1994 to 2002 for the first nine seasons of “Frasier,” winning in 1994, 1995 and 1998. He was finally snubbed in 2003 for the tenth season, but returned to the category in 2004 for the final season to win his fourth Emmy.
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