Game of Thrones won the Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards, reigning victorious over the category for the third time in four years. Few people were happier about the achievement than George R. R. Martin, an executive producer on the show and the author of the source material.
Before celebrating at the afterparties — and getting a chance to sip Sterling Wines with the stars of the HBO hit — the 69-year-old reacted to the big win.
“I’m buzzed and excited and exhausted, surprised. All of those things,” he exclusively told Us Weekly after the award show on Monday, September 17.
In fact, the novelist didn’t even expect the victory, given the caliber of Game of Thrones’ competitors in the category. “I didn’t think we would win,” he revealed. “In all of the entertainment press beforehand, everyone was picking Handmaid’s Tale, and then when we actually got to tonight, The Americans was winning one after another after another. So at that point, I thought, ‘Well, it’s going to be one of those two.’ And I was thrilled that it was us!”
“It’s such a strong category these days,” he added. “This is not like the old days when there were three networks. I mean, there are 150 people doing great television. This really is the golden age of television and so many good shows, and we were up against a number of them. This Is Us and Handmaid’s Tale, The Americans, Westworld — what an amazing array of competitors.”
And Martin certainly knows his television. “I watch a lot of shows,” he explained to Us. “I just finished bingeing the second season of Ozark, which I thought was amazing. I loved The Expanse, too, because I’m a science fiction/fantasy guy. That’s one of the best science fiction shows ever done in the history of television.”
Game of Thrones is heading into its final season, but that doesn’t mean we’ll never see Martin at the Emmys again. “The world of Westeros is not wrapping up,” he reminded Us. “We have five prequels in various stages of development, so Game of Thrones is ending, but [in] the book series that I write that is the basis for it, A Song of Ice and Fire, I still have two books to finish, then we have five prequels.”
In fact, it’s been more than seven years since Martin released A Dance With Dragons, the most recent installment of the Song of Ice and Fire series. When asked about when fans could expect the last two books, The Winds of Winter and A Dream of Spring, Martin’s reply was simple and succinct: “When they’re done.”
With reporting by Brody Brown
