LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 09: Keivonn Woodard attends the Los Angeles premiere of HBO's "The Last of Us" at Regency Village Theatre on January 09, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Rodin Eckenroth/WireImage)
As the Hollywood actors’ and writers’ strikes persist, one young history maker will have to wait a little longer for his biggest spotlight to be aired on television. Keivonn Woodard, 10, earned his first Emmy nomination this past July for his appearance on “The Last Of Us.”
However, the 75th Emmy Awards will not air as planned on Sept. 18, and no date has been set. However, the New York Times and Variety have sourced a prediction as far out as January 2024.
As we await an update there, Keivonn Woodard continues to be recognized for his nomination. The Bowie, Maryland native earned it with his appearance on HBO’s “The Last of Us.” Viewers of the post-apocalyptic series–and its origin video game–can recognize him as the character Sam. Spoiler alert: Sam is killed by his brother after being infected with the mushroom-zombie disease.
In real life, Woodard is the first Black deaf actor and second-youngest Emmy nominee in the award show’s history. His nomination is for ‘Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series.’ To add to his Black Boy Magic, Kevionn Woodard is also the youngest-ever nominee in this category, per CBS.
And FUN FACT: this was Woodard’s first professional acting job. The 10-year-old told WUSA9 last month that he felt “shocked” by the nomination–still in disbelief that he “made it into a show.”
He submitted an audition tape for the role in response to a Twitter (now named X) casting call from the series co-creator Craig Mazin. The co-creator said Keivinn “did so well” considering all his firsts in taking on the role, including getting on a plane and filming in a foreign country.
“So many people are going to want to meet him and shake his hand because so many people saw the show, and that’s special,” Mazin said. “So, no matter what happens on that night, how can you look it any other way but to say Keivonn has won?”
Lamar Johnson, the actor behind Sam’s older brother, is also nominated in the category. Johnson and Woodard are 19 years apart, and their competitors are industry vets like Murray Bartlett, James Cromwell, Nick Offerman, and Arian Moayed.
Variety predicts that Offerman will take home the win, but final voting rounds reportedly don’t open until Aug. 17 and will continue through Aug. 28.
Keivonn’s mother also spoke with WUSA9 and gushed about her son’s accomplishments.
“For a Black deaf family, sixth generation, that’s huge,” April Jackson-Woodard said. Adding, “I had a major in acting, and I really hit a lot of barriers being deaf and Black. That’s not really what they were looking for.”
Several of the talented younging’s relatives are also actors who are deaf. Issa generational talent!
Keivonn is not only making impressive Hollywood moves. He’s also got some of those out on the hockey ice. Woodard is a team member of Bowie Hockey Club as a forward.
According to NHL.com, the young athlete takes the ice using an ASL (American Sign Language) interpreter combined with a “special lighting system that alerts Keivonn to play stoppages and shift changes.”
The Bowie Hockey Club President Lori Jones spoke on Keivonn’s accomplishment with the outlet.
“It’s very exciting for him,” Lori told NHL.com. “He has just yet so many opportunities and an awareness that, even if you’re deaf. you can still play hockey. It’s just really that awesome. I’m so happy for him and his family.”
No updates on what acting gig, if any, the 10-year-old will be picking up next. But in the famous words of Issa Rae at the 2017 Emmys, we’re “rooting for everybody Black!”
Congratulations, Keivonn Woodard!
