Debating the New Emmy Awards Strategy Adopted by Pedro Pascal for ‘The Last of Us’: Die Early, Submit for Lead

Pedro Pascal is strategically pursuing another Emmy, but his limited screen time undoubtedly presents a challenge.

Despite appearing in three of the seven episodes in the second season of HBO Max’s dystopian drama “The Last of Us,” Pascal has boldly decided to submit himself for consideration in the lead drama actor category at the Primetime Emmy Awards. The choice has raised crucial questions about fairness, category integrity and the responsibility of the Television Academy’s acting peer group to intervene if nominations seem misaligned with the performances presented.

In Season 2, Pascal’s character, Joel, meets an early demise consistent with his tragic fate in the original video game. While his presence continues to resonate throughout the rest of the narrative, his actual screen time effectively turns him into an extended cameo, or in better words, a beefy supporting role. Yet, he is competing for recognition alongside actors who have consistently carried their shows from opening frames to end credits.

The tactic is not without precedent. For instance, two years ago, fans of “Succession” witnessed Brian Cox’s character, Logan Roy, die at the top of Episode 3 of the final season, yet he still submitted and picked up a nom for lead drama actor alongside his co-stars Jeremy Strong and eventual winner Kieran Culkin. While Cox’s commanding presence was a cornerstone of the series, Pascal’s situation is uniquely different. The focus of Season 2 shifts further away from Joel, making it challenging to argue that his performance is the anchor of the season’s emotional landscape.

The circumstances illuminate a pressing issue in award campaigning: the lack of rigorous oversight in category placement. While category decisions are ultimately up to the actor, its showrunners and studios that can often dictate submissions, and unless a nomination blatantly violates established rules — such as exceeding guest actor episode limits (i.e., Peter MacNicol getting disqualified after receiving a nom for “Veep” in 2016) — it often sails through without challenge.

The leniency has led to notable controversies in the past, which the TV Academy had no real issue correcting. Consider when “The White Lotus” tried to enter the limited series race for Season 2, and was moved to drama series due to the involvement of returning characters. Even this year, Alexis Bledel is likely to face scrutiny and eventual removal from the guest drama actress category for “The Handmaid’s Tale,” despite having previously won the category in 2017. Her single-season qualification and nomination for supporting drama actress will force her into the category despite appearing only in the finale. In both instances, the TV Academy was compelled to step in, underscoring the urgent need for consistency and clarity in nomination processes. Good for them, but a lead drama actor submission shouldn’t be warranted by the actor’s A-list status in Hollywood.

There are arguments to be made for the two lead submissions from the comedy “The Four Seasons” — Steve Carell and Tina Fey — despite being a clear ensemble. And even if you think they are lead, why does that make Colman Domingo more of a “supporting” player who has equal agency? It’s time to get back to the definition of what these categories symbolize. Yes, co-leads do exist, and also true, shows evolve along with their characters. Some get more to do — others get less.

Who will advocate for fairness if the acting branch’s board of governors remains muted? It’s safe to assume they believe they will open Pandora’s box to multiple studios trying to trigger a review by the board. Similar to last year, when there was an active movement for the Emmys to review the comedy submission for FX’s “The Bear.” Those efforts were unsuccessful, but it did lose the comedy series award in a stunning upset (so maybe it did work?).

During its time under the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the Golden Globes were known for their unflinching willingness to challenge submissions. They famously overruled the supporting film category entries for Alicia Vikander in “The Danish Girl” and Rooney Mara in “Carol,” asserting that both belonged in the lead category. Additionally, Hannah Einbinder, consistently submitted as a supporting actress by HBO Max for “Hacks,” was elevated to lead by the Globes, where she earned a nom alongside her co-star Jean Smart.

In Pascal’s case, the Emmy campaign represents either an audacious strategy or a significant gamble. The competition for lead drama actor this year is as competitive as ever. Diego Luna made a striking impression in the second season of Disney+’s “Andor,” while Adam Scott delivered a brilliant two-way conversation with himself in a stunning sophomore season of Apple TV+’s “Severance.” Even emerging and still not recognized talents like Eddie Redmayne in the Peacock thriller drama “The Day of the Jackal” and Noah Wyle in HBO Max’s medical hit series “The Pitt” are likely to attract voter attention with their compelling work.

Pascal appears in later episodes in the season through flashbacks, and a supporting run would have been more appropriate. Even if he had qualified as a guest actor, new Emmy rules disqualify Pascal from competing in that race (a whole separate issue to discuss). Nonetheless, a vital question remains: What truly defines a “lead” in a series today? Is it determined by screen time, emotional depth, narrative significance or simply industry influence?

Pascal’s talent is undeniable, soon to be dominating the big screens with his role in Celine Song’s love triangle drama “Materialists,” as the famed superhero Mr. Fantastic in “The Fantastic Four: The First Steps” and opposite Joaquin Phoenix in Ari Aster’s “Eddington,” which premiered at Cannes. Admittedly serving as the integral piece of “The Last of Us,” and not to be overlooked, his historic nom for Season 1 was thoroughly deserved. However, asking voters to recognize a brief yet impactful turn in Season 2 may be overly ambitious, particularly when other contenders steadfastly carry their series week after week, episode after episode.

As Emmy voting nears, the TV Academy would benefit from thoroughly reevaluating its role as an awards body and a steward of creative equity. The integrity of the categories and the artists who genuinely lead their series deserve the utmost consideration and respect.

This could fall on deaf ears, and the voters nominate Pascal anyway. At this rate, all you’ll need for a lead actor Emmy is two scenes, one death and a damn good agent.