The nominations for the 75th Annual Emmy Awards are out — and there are a few names from our communities that received a nod, including “The Last of Us” lead Pedro Pascal. He received not one but three nominations: Outstanding Lead Actor (Drama) in the HBO series The Last of Us, Outstanding Guest Actor (Comedy) for hosting an episode of Saturday Night Live (SNL) earlier this year, and Outstanding Narrator for CNN’s Patagonia: Life On The Edge Of The World.
This news represents more than just nominations for Pascal, as these mark the first Emmy nominations of his career. And that’s not the only achievement. According to Variety, he is the first Latino to earn an Outstanding Lead Actor (Drama) nomination since 1999, when Jimmy Smits was nominated for NYPD Blue. The Last of Us received 24 nominations in total, becoming the first live-action video game adaptation to be nodded in major categories.
Many fans are sharing their excitement for Pascal online, with one person tweeting, “Little pedro pascal from santiago chile is now a three times emmy nominee and the first latino to be nominated. im. so. fucking. proud.” While another wrote, “PEDRO PASCAL BEING NOMINATED FOR THREE EMMY AWARDS IN ONE YEAR I USED TO PRAY FOR TIMES LIKE THIS.”
The Chilean-American actor received rave reviews upon the premiere of the series. “I’ve seen #TheLastOfUs & having not played the game, I still felt like I could immerse myself in this world. At the heart of this series is Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, bringing life to Joel and Ellie. Their chemistry is truly phenomenal, making this series something special,” tweeted one person. As for the series in general, The Wrap called the series “an engaging and refreshing rendering of a popular genre story,” while The Hollywood Reporter called it “the best video game adaptation ever made for the big or small screen.”
The nominations dropped on the same day that a deadline will expire between the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) and the Writers Guild of America (WGA) to reach an agreement on the WGA’s strike demands.
For a full rundown of the 2023 Emmy nominations, visit emmys.com. The 75th Emmy Awards will air on September 18, 2023, at 8 p.m. ET on Fox.