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Implications of New Emmy Rules on Pedro Pascal and Guest Actor Categories

The emotional narrative of Sunday’s episode of The Last of Us, which featured the impactful death of Joel, has left viewers contemplating not only the show’s storyline but also the potential Emmy prospects for Pedro Pascal. Specifically, there is clarity regarding one category where his chances are non-existent: Best Drama Guest Actor.

Earlier this year, the Television Academy made significant updates to its guest category eligibility rules, as part of their 2025 revisions. While the core eligibility guidelines remain intact, stipulating that actors can contest in the guest categories if they feature in less than half of a season’s episodes, an important amendment was introduced. Under this new rule, any performer who has been nominated—or has secured a win—in either lead or supporting categories is barred from submitting for the guest category when portraying the same character in subsequent years. Such performers are confined to lead or supporting categories instead.

This change aims to address the common trend of celebs receiving nominations and accolades through guest roles, which has been seen as overly simplistic. This adjustment is informally dubbed the “Claire Foy rule,” named after the actress who won the Best Drama Actress award for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II in The Crown back in 2018. Foy later made a brief appearance in Season 4, which inadvertently led to her winning the Best Drama Guest Actress in 2021. In a more recent installment, she was again nominated in the guest category for her role in the series finale, but ultimately lost to Michaela Coel for her role in Mr. & Mrs. Smith. If Foy had won again, it would have raised eyebrows given her dual guest trophies versus just one lead win.

SEE Bella Ramsey from The Last of Us is in contention to become the youngest actress to claim the Best Drama Actress Emmy, potentially surpassing Zendaya.

The ramifications of this new policy may not resonate widely this year, but they significantly affect Pascal’s situation. He was nominated for Best Drama Actor for the inaugural season of The Last of Us, albeit losing to his perceived rival, Kieran Culkin from Succession. According to these updated guidelines, Pascal’s prior nomination excludes him from competing in the guest category this year, despite Joel’s limited appearances—his character met his end early in the second season, which consists of just seven episodes. Had he not been previously nominated, he could still present in the guest category; however, with new restrictions, he is left with fewer options.

For lead or supporting categories, there are no such eligibility restrictions. For example, Pascal’s co-star Kaitlyn Dever from The Last of Us or Allison Janney from The Diplomat can choose to compete in either supporting or lead categories if they so wish. Although Pascal has the option to attempt a shift to supporting, there exists historical context for remaining in a lead role even with minimal screen time. Notably, Brian Cox—who was nominated in the same category as Pascal in 2023—saw his character, Logan Roy, perish early in the concluding season of Succession. Nevertheless, Cox remained in the lead competition amidst the success of the show, which earned three Best Drama Actor nominations simultaneously in 2023. Given the popularity of both Pascal and The Last of Us, there’s potential for him to maintain his position in the lead category despite limited appearances.

Another notable figure impacted by the revised regulations is Meryl Streep. The esteemed actress, who has won three Emmys, was nominated for Best Comedy Supporting Actress last year for her role in Only Murders in the Building. Although Streep only appeared in three out of ten episodes—less than 50 percent of the season—her previous nomination disqualifies her from pursuing guest status this year. It’s worth noting that unlike Pascal and Foy, Streep has never been a regular or lead character on Only Murders in the Building.

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www.goldderby.com