Gwendoline Christie thought submitting herself for an Emmy Awards nomination was an ideal way to "say goodbye" to her ‘Game of Thrones’ character.
The 40-year-old actress wanted to honour everything she felt her alter ego, Brienne of Tarth, represented so put herself forward for a place on the shortlist for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series but never expected to make the cut.
Growing emotional as she discussed her self-submission on the ‘People and Entertainment Weekly Red Carpet Live’ show at the Emmy Awards on Sunday (22.09.19), she said: "I really have fallen in love with the character.
"I’ve fallen in love with what she represents… She has a strong moral compass and a very deep sensitivity and vulnerability, and I felt she was a special and rare kind of character.
"For everything she represents in terms of women, I wanted there to be the possibility of the opportunity. And for me to feel like that’s how I was honoring saying goodbye to this character."
Gwendoline lost out on the award to ‘Ozark’ actress Julia Garner but felt like she’d won just by being nominated.
She said: "I truly never never though it would result in a nomination and the last two months of my life have been wonderful.
"It’s a feeling of hope and to got this far, I’ve won. I’ve never received something like this in my work before."
The actress has previously spoken of why she put herself forward for the nomination.
She said: "When it came to submitting myself for potential Emmy nomination, I just really wanted the possibility of the opportunity, and I wanted the possibility of the opportunity of everything I believe the character represents," Christie said. "She’s a women outside the patriarchy. She’s abused because of the way she looks because she’s not deemed conventionally attractive and she overcomes that and she remains her own person. Because of what I feel that represents in television, I really wanted the possibility of the opportunity as testament to the character.
"Also, I worked really hard. And I really wanted to possibly have more opportunities."
Gwendoline Christie emotional over Emmy nomination
