The Last of Us actor Keivonn Montreal Woodard has made history as the first black deaf to receive an Emmy Nomination. The 10-year-old actor scored an Emmy nomination for outstanding guest actor in a drama series for his role as apocalypse survivor Sam Burrell in the HBO hit drama.
The nomination makes Woodard the youngest actor to receive a nomination in the category of outstanding guest actor. This was Woodard’s first TV Show appearance.
Speaking to PEOPLE, the young star said he was “shocked” by the recognition. “I think that everybody should just do their best when they’re trying to act and just go for the auditions,” he said.
“Don’t worry about it, and just go ahead and try to act your best. Yes, it was hard with the facial expressions and learning how to [interpret the script for American Sign Language], but I think it’s really important to also learn to listen to your production team and to collaborate with them. I got in, and so can you,” he added to Deadline, nothing that is he aware of the “importance and huge impact” of his nomination as a young Black Deaf actor.
Speaking to Deadline, Woodard’s mom April Jackson-Woodard also told Deadline how she had been flooded with messages after her son’s nomination was announced, including from his Last of Us costar Bella Ramsey.
“People kept sending messages, and I cried immediately because I never thought or dreamed it would happen to my son,” she said. “You know, I never even considered it. After Keivonn got the role, I asked myself, ‘How do I even prepare my life?’ It wasn’t easy, especially as a Black Deaf mother and also being a widow. I was trying to take care of everything on my own, but he would say, ‘Mom, I got this.’ And he did.”
Main Image: Keivonn Montreal Woodard| JEFF KRAVITZ/FILMMAGIC
