House of the Dragon star Emma D’Arcy has praised the Golden Globes for showing there is a “space for trans people” by nominating them for best actress in a drama series.

It was the first time the 30-year-old had been recognised by the Golden Globes and, although Zendaya walked away with the award for her portrayal of Rue Bennett in Euphoria, D’Arcy told E! they “feel very privileged” to have been nominated.

“It’s kind of a surreal thing because when I was starting out, I really felt that I had to pretend, to present as a woman in order to find success in this industry,” they said.

“Anyway, it wasn’t sustainable, and I stopped pretending, and weirdly, it’s at that point that I got nominated for best actress at the Golden Globes, which is beautifully ironic.”

The star added that the “most important thing is that it implies that the space for trans people and gender-nonconforming people is getting bigger all the time.”

D’Arcy also shared that their look for the night was an expression of their gender identity.

“I’m also doing trans because I’m wearing some trousers and a skirt at the same time,” they explained. “And nothing says non-binary like wearing both a skirt and trousers.”

The actor rose to prominence after depicting Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen in House of the Dragon, a prequel series to Game of Thrones set about 200 years before it.

They recently shared that got the call offering them the role at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic had resulted in most work drying up entirely.

“It was very strange timing. I was just really delighted at having something to do again,” they told The i.

D’Arcy also admitted that they had never seen Game of Thrones and added that this may have been a good thing.

They continued: “If I had the love for Game of Thrones before my audition that I have for it now, I don’t think I’d be sitting here. The pressure was already significant.

“If I already had a personal investment in the franchise, I don’t think I would have held my nerve honestly.”

The 2023 Golden Globes took place on 10 January and you can find a full roundup of the night here.