There are three top Primetime Emmy categories for dramatic storytelling — Outstanding Drama Series, Outstanding Limited Series and Outstanding TV Movie. In what may be a first, Carolyn Strauss scored a nomination in all three, as executive producer of HBO’s Game Of Thrones (Drama Series), Chernobyl (Limited Series) and Deadwood: The Movie (TV Movie). Combined, GoT, Chernobyl and Deadwoodearned 59 Emmy nominations including a chart-topping 32 for the final season of GoT.

Two of the shows, Game of Thrones and Deadwood, stem from Strauss’ tenure as HBO president of entertainment. In 2006, she bought David Benioff and D.B. Weiss’ pitch for a TV series adaptation of George R. R. Martin’s book series A Song of Ice and Fire and was one of the project’s biggest supporters at the network until she stepped down in 2008 to segue to an HBO producing deal, with Game of Thrones among her first projects. She served as an executive producer through its final stages of development, its flawed unaired original pilot and its blockbuster eight-season run capped by a record Emmy haul of 47 trophies to date, including two Outstanding Drama Series, shared by her.