Peter Dinklage has praised the entertainment industry’s attitude to diversity after winning a record-breaking fourth Emmy Award on Sunday (September 22, 2019).
The Game of Thrones star, who was born with dwarfism, completed a quartet of victories in the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series category, for his role as scheming nobleman Tyrion Lannister in the long-running hit HBO fantasy show. He beat his castmates Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Alfie Allen to the prize to overtake Aaron Paul as the Emmys‘ most decorated supporting actor.
In his speech, Peter praised the entertainment industry’s “tolerance and diversity”, explaining: “I count myself so fortunate to be a member of a community that is nothing but all about tolerance and diversity. Because no other place could I be standing on a stage like this.”
Thanking show creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss and his castmates, the star added: “It’s been about 10 years, all said and done, since the moment I met Dave and Dan until right now.
“I had no idea what I was getting myself into, but I knew David and Dan were quite brilliant. We did nothing but sweat, we did nothing but laugh. Dave and Dan, we literally walked through fire and ice for you, literally. And I would do it all again in a heartbeat.”
It was an emotional night for the Game of Thrones cast, as they have completed the show’s eighth and final season – and Peter struggled to keep his emotions in check as he swore on stage by describing his colleagues as “the most talented motherf**king people.”
Game of Thrones also won the Outstanding Drama Series at the awards bash at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, California.
