- The 2018 Emmy nominations were announced on Thursday — and "Game of Thrones" stars Kit Harington and Emilia Clarke were snubbed in the categories for lead actor and actress in a drama series.
- Regardless, the hit HBO show still managed to get 22 nominations overall.
- You can watch the 2018 Emmys on NBC on Monday, September 17 at 8 p.m., hosted by "Saturday Night Live" stars Michael Che and Colin Jost.
HBO knows how to rack up Emmy Awards, but even with 108 nominations this year alone, the premium cable channel's Emmy strategy wasn't entirely solid.
"Game of Thrones" stars Kit Harington and Emilia Clarke were both snubbed by Emmy voters after they were submitted to the lead actor and actress categories for the first time.
According to TVLine, the move to submit both performers as leads was likely done in effort to escape the supporting categories, which have become increasingly competitive and crowded. In years past, Harington and Clarke both earned Emmy nominations in the supporting categories and the jump to submit them as leads seems to have backfired.
And fans on Twitter certainly noticed the snubs:
So uh who at HBO thought it was a good idea to submit Emilia Clarke and Kit Harington as leads?
— Kelsey L. Hayes (@kelseylh) July 12, 2018
Ed Harris definitely took Kit Harrington's nomination. #Emmys#Westworld
— Hunter Ingram (@hunter_wesley) July 12, 2018
Also, where were Emilia Clarke and Kit Harington’s nominations?! Did Emmy voters not watch last season of Game of Thrones?! #Emmyspic.twitter.com/qKnfWIvyEm
— Paige Catton (@PopCulturePaige) July 12, 2018
Kit Harington and Emilia Clarke were snubbed by the Emmy's this year. When we get season 8 next year it's over for those bitches who didn't vote for them. pic.twitter.com/B1suHDpin5
— ☀️ Loqui saw amatw!! 🐜🐝 (@tricksterloqui) July 12, 2018
Kit Harington now regrets being moved to Lead Actor. Because he's not even nominated.
— Ron (I had to. They're alive, like me.) Francisco (@ohhieverybody) July 12, 2018
But hooray, Kingslayer. https://t.co/6Ija0UQboL
But we all know that they deserved at least 25 nominations since they clearly forgot to mention Emilia Clarke, Sophie Turner and Kit Harington. #Emmys#GameOfThronespic.twitter.com/TiTNPh4LVC
— 🌈 uǝʎɹɐƃɹɐʇ sʎɹǝuǝɐp (@timotheetheking) July 12, 2018
the emmys nominated millie but not mandy moore, emilia clarke and chrissy metz pic.twitter.com/WrZvAAF7gl
— pudge (@tomshollands) July 12, 2018
I know GoT has a bunch of Emmy noms but the fact that Kit Harrington and Emilia Clarke have zero for last season is a crime.
— miranda 🦖 (@rexpostfacto) July 12, 2018
Competition in the lead categories turned out to be fierce this year. Clarke was edged out by Claire Foy, Tatiana Maslany, Elisabeth Moss, Sandra Oh, Keri Russell, and Evan Rachel Wood.
And while Harington didn't make the cut, Jason Bateman, Sterling K. Brown, Ed Harris, Matthew Rhys, Milo Ventimiglia and Jeffrey Wright secured nominations as lead actors in a drama series.
Despite the dual snubs, "Game of Thrones" still managed to be 2018's most-nominated show. The series earned a total of 22 nominations including best drama and all three Lannister siblings (Peter Dinklage, Lena Headey, and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) scored noms in the supporting categories.
You can take a look at all of the 2018 Emmy nominations here.Te
The 2018 Emmys will air Monday, September 17 on NBC at 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT) from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. The show will be hosted by "Saturday Night Live" stars Michael Che and Colin Jost.
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