If conquering Westeros means sitting on the Iron Throne, then does one conquer the Emmys by meeting Zendaya?
The 78th Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony took place on Monday, September 14, 2026, and as revealed back in July, Aegon "Egg" Targaryen actor Dexter Sol Ansell had one thing on his mind: to meet Spider-Man: Brand New Day star, Zendaya.
The social media post where Ansell learned that A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms was nominated for an Emmy went viral, as the first thing that escaped the 11-year-old's mouth was that he was going to meet Zendaya.
The Ira Parker and George R. R. Martin-created Game of Thrones prequel premiered this past January for a 6-episode run that concluded in late February, with A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms earning several nominations.
Out of nine total nominations, AKoTSK only took home one award for Outstanding Stunt Performance.
The big award it contended for, Outstanding Drama, was won by The Pitt, which also beat out The Diplomat, The Gilded Age, Paradise, Pluribus, Slow Horses, and Your Friends & Neighbors.
The six-episode first season premiered on January 18 on HBO Max at 10 pm ET/PT.
Looking to the future, there are two additional novellas to adapt for future seasons which include 2003's The Sworn Sword and 2010's The Mystery Knight.
The show is led by Peter Claffey as Ser Duncan "Dunk" the Tall and Dexter Sol Ansell as Egg.
George R.R. Martin previously stated, "Dunk and Egg have always been favorites of mine, and the actors we found to portray them are just incredible...It’s as faithful an adaptation as a reasonable man could hope for (and you all know how incredible reasonable I am on that particular subject)."
The American HBO fantasy drama stars Peter Claffey as Ser Duncan the Tall, Dexter Sol Ansell as Prince Aegon Targaryen, Finn Bennett as Prince Aerion "Brightflame" Targaryen, Tanzyn Crawford as Tanselle, Bertie Carvel as Prince Baelor "Breakspear" Targaryen, Daniel Ings as Ser Lyonel Baratheon aka the Laughing Storm, and Sam Spruell as Prince Maekar Targaryen.
HBO first announced the spinoff in January 2021 and, after several years of pre-production, finalized the cast in April 2024. Filming commenced on the six-episode first season in June 2024 and wrapped in September 2024.
"A century before the events of Game of Thrones, two unlikely heroes wandered Westeros… a young, naïve but courageous knight, Ser Duncan the Tall, and his diminutive squire, Egg. Set in an age when the Targaryen line still holds the Iron Throne, and the memory of the last dragon has not yet passed from living memory, great destinies, powerful foes, and dangerous exploits all await these improbable and incomparable friends."