The Last of Us, based on the popular video game franchise earned 24 Emmy nominations, making it the second-most of the year trailing behind HBO’s other big hit Succession, which leads the charge with 27. Most of the nominations are spread among the acting categories with some technical awards as well.
Last of Us earned top nods in the biggest categories Best Writing, Best Drama Series, Best Lead Actor in a Drama Series for Pedro Pascal, and Best Lead Actress in a Drama Series for Bella Ramsey. Nick Offerman, Murray Bartlett, Lamar Johnson, and Keivonn Montreal Woodard received Guest Actor in a Drama Series nominations. Melanie Lynskey, Storm Reid, and Anna Torv also received Guest Actress in a Drama Series nominations for the show as well.
The road to the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards has been a strange, but historic one. The nominations were announced on the same day that Hollywood actors prepare themselves to strike if their union can’t deal with studio executives by midnight.
Meanwhile, the Writers Guild of America is also on strike, nearing three months on the picket line. If SAG-AFTRA chooses to strike, it would mark the first time in over 60 years that both actors’ and writers’ guilds are picketing over contract disputes. So it might feel weird to celebrate the art and medium at this time, but recognition is more than deserved for some of the shows out this year and part of last, especially shows like The Last of Us.
This situation puts television in a peculiar place. With two of Hollywood’s largest unions on strike also means that all film and TV productions will go on pause and face delays as actors and writers will be encouraged to stay on the picket lines in solidarity.