Peter Dinklage Wins Second Emmy For Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series

Peter Dinklage just took home the award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for his role as Tyrion Lannister at the 2015 Emmy Awards, Entertainment Weekly reports.

This marks the second time Peter Dinklage has won the award, the first one being in 2011 – just around the time Game of Thrones finished airing its first season. Peter has been nominated each year since HBO aired the TV adaptation of George R.R. Martin’s fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire.

The 46-year-old Dinklage admitted that he didn’t expect to win the award at all. The look of genuine surprise on his face when his name was mentioned is pure gold!

.@Peter_Dinklage reacting to his #Emmys win! pic.twitter.com/ToyJ8iFY3C

— Television Academy (@TelevisionAcad) September 21, 2015

Here’s an excerpt from Peter Dinklage’s acceptance speech.

“I wasn’t prepared at all, I was even chewing gum! I wasn’t prepared because the other actors in my category I’m still sort of awed by their performances. We’re only as good as our writers and I’m lucky to work with the greatest writers.”

And right on cue, Peter acknowledged the writers who made the award-winning television show happen. Dinklage first thanked David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, who earlier bagged the Emmy award for Best Writer in a Drama Series. He also thanked George R.R. Martin for “creating our universe.” Dinklage also acknowledged Lena Headey, calling her his “inspiration and scene partner.”

The other actors Peter beat to win the award are Jonathan Banks, Jim Carter, Alan Cumming, Michael Kelly, and Ben Mendelsohn.

Peter Dinklage winning the best supporting actor award is just one of the many victories earned by Game of Thrones at the 2015 Emmy awards. HBO’s fantasy epic series entered the event with a leading 24 nominations. After the event, the show bagged a total of 12 awards, shattering the record for most Emmy wins in a year. The record was previously held by NBC’s The West Wing, which won nine Emmy awards in its first season.

The character Peter Dinklage portrayed on Game of Thrones for the past five years, Tyrion Lannister, has gone through a new world of pain in Season 5. The diminutive character, also known as “The Imp,” is arguably one of the most revered characters both in fantasy literature and television. Peter’s portrayal of Tyrion has been nothing short of spectacular, allowing the character’s depth and complexity to manifest itself in the show’s key moments.

Dinklage’s statement to Entertainment Weekly before Season 5 aired is a testament to how he “gets” the character.

I don’t think he’s as arrogant as he used to be. He’s always had compassion, his heart has been in the right place. But I think his arrogance has been diminished due to his terrible circumstances. He’s kinder, even though he’s a murderer.

To see Peter receive the award and give his acceptance speech at the 2015 Emmy awards, see the video in full below. Everyone raise your glass for Peter Dinklage!

[Photo by Mark Davis/Getty Images]