HBO Didn't Enter Gwendoline For Emmys, So She Did, And Got Nominated

There were only two characters in the series Game of Throne, whose fate I was concerned about; Tyrion Lannister portrayed by Peter Dinklage and Brienne of Tarth played by Gwendoline Christie. I didn’t care if Daenerys Targaryen, Jon Snow, Arya and Sansa Stark or The Hound lived or died. All I cared for was these two to make it out alive in the end. Perhaps it was the character arches, or the way Dinklage and Christie had played their respective parts, or perhaps it was a combination of both, that stirred empathy in me for them. So imagine my joy when both these actors managed to score a nomination for the 2019 Emmy Awards.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Gwendoline Christie has been nominated for her part as Brienne of Tarth in Game of Thrones.
• However, her name wasn't submitted by the show runners.
• So Christie took matters into her own hands and submitted her own name.
• She has shown us how success comes to those who don't depend on others to judge their worth.

Gwendoline Christie's earnest portrayal of Brienne of Tarth earned her a cultish fan following. Which is why Twitter erupted in joy when Brienne was knighted in the final season of the show.

However, it has now been revealed that Gwendoline submitted her own name for nominations, after being left in cold by the show-runners HBO. And her faith in herself paid off. Christie now stands nominated for an Emmy in the category of Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series along with actors like Julia Garner (Ozark), Lena Headey (Game of Thrones), Fiona Shaw (Killing Eve), Sophie Turner (Game of Thrones), Maisie Williams (Game of Thrones).

HBO didn't submit Gwendoline Christie for an Emmy so she submitted herself and got a nomination.

Be your own biggest cheerleader.

— Julie DiCaro wrote a book (@JulieDiCaro) July 17, 2019

Also Read: Confidence Gap: Why Do Women Think Less Of Themselves?

Christie has shown us how we shouldn’t always look at others for validation, and why you should never lose confidence in your skills. Had Christie accepted HBO bosses’ decision to not submit her name for the Emmys, she wouldn’t have ever come to know that her work was indeed worthy of a nomination. In fact, she poses a strong contention for the award, against her fellow nominees. How many of us actually have such conviction in our skills? Especially among women, lack of confidence in self is a huge problem.

All around us we see women who give up on following their passion, chasing success when discouraged by their superiors or loved ones. Women tend to look at others for validation and when we don’t find that, we give up.

I remember reading an article on the book The Confidence Code a few months ago, which said that there is a vast confidence gap that separates the sexes. “Compared with men, women don’t consider themselves as ready for promotions, they predict they’ll do worse on tests, and they generally underestimate their abilities.” This means that women easily believe it when they are told that their skills aren’t worth a bigger pay check or appreciation, or even that they are not great wives or mothers. We don't need researches or studies to show us that. All around us we see women who give up on following their passion, chasing success when discouraged by their superiors or loved ones. Women tend to look at others for validation and when we don’t find that, we give up.

This lack of belief in our capabilities leads us to settle down for way less than what we actually deserve. We put a plug on exploring our full potential because no one else is ready to show confidence in us. Gwendoline’s nomination is a proof that success and accolades won’t come your way if you don’t believe in yourself in the first place. Don’t let others decide whether your skill is worth loving or earning you a pay check or not. Find it for yourself, and the only way to do that is to take matters in your own hands when you face rejection.

It doesn’t matter if Gwendoline wins an Emmy Award on not, because this is more about what she thinks of herself as an actor and reclaiming her belief. And perhaps that is what we should tell ourselves. The leap you take to find success isn’t about whether you win or lose, it is about what you think about your own skills. You wouldn’t go anywhere in your quest unless you take that first step.

Picture Credit: Twitter / Game of Thrones Facts

Also Read: What Is Success And How Does One Achieve it? Here Are Some Tips

Yamini Pustake Bhalerao is a writer with the SheThePeople team, in the Opinions section. The views expressed are author’s own.