Dexter Sol Ansell, the 11-year-old star of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, finally got his wish to meet Zendaya at the 2026 Emmys, and a photo of the moment is now circulating online.
Ansell shared the picture to his Instagram on September 15, a day after the 78th annual Emmy Awards. In it, the young actor, wearing a bedazzled cream suit, poses next to Zendaya, who crouched down beside him. He captioned the post with pointing and spider emojis, writing simply, "This."
Zendaya's husband, Tom Holland, also turned up in the photo, smiling behind Ansell with his hands by his sides. Holland skipped the red carpet before the ceremony but took his seat next to Zendaya inside Los Angeles' Peacock Theater in time for the sweet exchange.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms at the Emmys
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, an HBO series set in the Game of Thrones universe and based on George R.R. Martin's Dunk and Egg novellas, received nine nominations at the ceremony. The show ultimately won one award, for Outstanding Stunt Performance. The event was hosted by Mariska Hargitay, best known for playing Olivia Benson on Law & Order: SVU.
Ansell's excitement about meeting Zendaya was not new. When the show's nominations were first announced, a clip of his reaction went viral on social media. In it, he screamed after learning of the nomination before declaring, "I'm meeting Zendaya!"
Why the Meeting Meant So Much
On his way to the ceremony, Ansell explained his excitement in a video shared to HBO and HBO Max's Instagram accounts. "So I'm really excited to meet Zendaya because, obviously, I love Spider-Man and she's one of the main people in that," he said, "so I'm really excited to meet her."
Zendaya, who was nominated at the 2026 Emmys for her role in Euphoria, has played Michelle "MJ" Jones opposite Holland's Peter Parker in Sony and Marvel's Spider-Man film trilogy. The two have been a couple for several years and married.
Ansell, also known for the film 500 Miles, said his connection to the couple ran deeper than fandom. "And a fun fact, actually, in season 2 of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, I actually wore Tom Holland's harness in one of the scenes," he added, "which was really cool."
Ansell Reflects on His Emmys Night
Beyond meeting Zendaya, Ansell also reflected on being recognized at the ceremony just before his upcoming 12th birthday. Speaking exclusively to Keltie Knight during Live From E!: 2026 Emmys on September 14, he said, "It feels amazing. It's the best birthday present anyone could ever give me."
