Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor The nominations for the Emmys are still weeks away. But there’s growing excitement in the Latino community as multiple lead actors continue to look well-positioned to receive deserved recognition.
Two of the top contenders in the lead drama actor race — Pedro Pascal as the hardened survivor Joel from HBO’s apocalyptic video game adaptation “The Last of Us” and Diego Luna as the rebel hero Cassian in the “Star Wars” prequel series “Andor” from Disney+ — are Latino and star in buzzy sci-fi and fantasy series. Read: Variety’s Awards Circuit for the latest Emmy predictions in all categories.
Only one Latino actor has been recognized in the lead drama actor category in the past: From 1995-1999, Jimmy Smits received five consecutive noms for his role as Det.
Bobby Simone on ABC’s “NYPD Blue.” Coincidentally, Pascal appeared as a guest on a 2001 episode. Jumping seamlessly between film and television, the Chilean actor has become a household name thanks to TV stints on “Game of Thrones” and “Narcos” and movies such as “Wonder Woman 1984” (2021) and “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” (2022).
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