Emmy Overachiever Pedro Pascal on the Fate of His ‘The Last of Us’ Character, and What It Feels Like to Be a Role Model

Pedro Pascal is this years Emmy overachiever, receiving three nominations, including one for The Last of Us and another as guest host on Saturday Night Live. We talk to him about those shows (and The Mandalorian) plus how he knows his huge success also comes with the duty to be a bit of a mentor and role model to others, just as he once had. But first, on the Roundtable, Varietys Marc Malkin joins us for a deep dive into where things stand with the SAG-AFTRA strike, and how it has severely impacted events and so much more. Listen below!

With Emmy nods for best drama series, actor (Pedro Pascal) and actress (Bella Ramsey), among others, HBOs The Last of Us is the first live-action video game adaptation to earn major awards consideration from a top Hollywood awards body, in television or in film. The Last of Us earned a total of 24 nominations. (An Inside the Episode short about the show was also nominated.)

Based on the popular 2013 game for the Sony Playstation 3, the show tracks the story of Joel (Pascal), a self-serving smuggler, and Ellie (Ramsey), a headstrong teenager, as they navigate the zombie-infested american wilderness together.

Pascal, in particular, is on a roll. He is now Emmy nominated this year for lead actor in a drama (The Last of Us), guest actor in a comedy (Saturday Night Live) and narrator (Patagonia: Life on the Edge of the World).

Read:VarietysAwards Circuit for the latest Emmy predictions in all categories.

Prior to the nominations, and before the SAG-AFTRA strike commenced, Varietys Clayton Davis spoke with Pascal about The Last of Us, The Mandalorian, his career at this moment and what it feels like to be a role model to young Latinos, LGBTQ and Hollywood dreamers everywhere who yearn to sit in the same position he finds himself in.

I want to be able to fulfill the assignment and continue to fulfill the assignment, Pascal said. Its the best part. Its not necessarily about getting an A but understanding someones vision and being a scene partner for somebody. If it comes to inspiring somebody else maybe thats the component Im unwilling to recognize. It can make my heart explode a little bit.

Watch the full interview on Varietys YouTube page or an excerpt below.

Varietys Awards Circuit podcast, produced by Michael Schneider, is your one-stop listen for lively conversations about the best in film and television. Each week Awards Circuit features interviews with top film and TV talent and creatives; discussions and debates about awards races and industry headlines; and much more. Subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify or anywhere you download podcasts. New episodes post weekly.