This will surely be remembered as Pedro Pascal’s breakout year.
The actor has been working steadily for a long time, but in 2023, he scored his first major success on TV as a lead actor with The Last of Us. That blockbuster helped him rise to new levels of fame and critical acclaim, and now the Emmys have recognized the internet’s new favorite crush for his incredible work — and not just on one program.
The nominees for the 2023 Emmy Awards were unveiled this morning, and Pascal got to hear his name called out by actress Yvette Nicole Brown and Television Academy chair Mark Scherma, who read the nominations for many of the biggest categories during a live stream.
Once the full list of potential winners was unveiled online, it was clear that everyone in the TV industry really loves Pascal, as he earned not just one, and not even two, but three nominations this year.
Perhaps most understandably, Pascal is up for Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series for his work on The Last of Us as Joel. The Last of Us stands out as the second-most-nominated show this year, with 24 nods, so it’s no real shock he’s included in this prestigious field.
Pascal was also nominated in the Outstanding Guest Actor In A Comedy Series for his time hosting Saturday Night Live. It’s not uncommon for at least one host per season to earn a nod, and it usually goes to the star who stands out as perhaps the most talented and funniest. This year, it’s Pascal, as his time on the long-running program was particularly hilarious.
The now-superstar earned a third chance to win an Emmy in the less-visible Outstanding Narrator category. He narrated a documentary called Patagonia: Life On The Edge Of The World, which aired on CNN. In that group, he’s up against some truly incredible competitors, including Morgan Freeman, Angela Bassett, Mahershala Ali, and even former president Barack Obama.
Amazingly, Pascal has never been nominated for an Emmy before this year, and now he’s a three-time nominee, in an instant.
Pascal will find out if he becomes not just a nominee, but a winner when the 2023 Emmys are held on September 18. Even if he doesn’t come out on top, he’s slated to return for a second season of The Last of Us, so he will likely earn another shot at some gold should he lose out on this trio of nods.
Denzel Washington revealed that a scene in which he kisses another male actor was cut from the final version of the movie Ridley Scott's upcoming Gladiator II.
The Oscar-winning actor plays Macrinus, an ambitious, wealthy Roman businessman who is presumed to be bisexual in the film.
"I kissed the man in the film but they took it . I think they got chicken," he told Gayety. "I kissed a guy full on the lips, and I guess they weren’t ready for that yet."
The gesture, at least in the context of the movie's plot, was not a romantic one, but more of a sealing of one's fate.
For those who are about to dive into Gladiator II feeling foggy about where the first film left off, director Ridley Scott salutes you with a pithy animated opening-credit sequence recapping the saga of champion Maximus Decimus Meridius.
He died.
The former Roman general, forced into bondage as a combatant in the arena, went out a hero, memorably portrayed by Russell "Are you not entertained?" Crowe, who took home an Oscar for his swaggering performance. Maximus' snotty nemesis, the Emperor Commodus, played by Joaquin Phoenix, also bit the dust, so, seemingly, the film tied up its loose ends.
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