Nick Offerman is ready to sing his way back to the zombie apocalypse. The 53-year-old actor took home his first Emmy Award for his tear-jerking role in The Last of Us, and he revealed that ideas have been pitched for a return to the franchise.
Offerman took the trophy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series at the Creative Arts Emmys on Saturday for his one-episode arc as survivalist Bill on the post-apocalyptic drama. The fan-favorite story followed Bill as he meets and falls in love with Frank (Murray Bartlett) before the pair come to a tragic end. Bartlett was nominated in the same category on Saturday, alongside fellow Last of Us guests Lamar Johnson and Keivonn Montreal Woodard, and Succession‘s James Cromwell and Arian Moayed.
According to Deadline, Offerman fielded a question in the press room about a potential flashback return to the series in an upcoming season.
“Oh, great question but I would have to ask somebody with a higher pay grade than myself,” Offerman told reporters.
“It certainly has been pitched. I think we pitched a whole mini-series of a prequel of their lives before they met each other. It could be a musical. We’re not short on ideas. We’ll just we’ll see what Craig [Mazin] and Neil [Druckmann] come up with,” he added jokingly.
Asked whether he would be game for a reprisal, Offerman replied with self-deprecating enthusiasm.
“Oh sure,” he said. “I was lucky this time. They needed a guy who could use a shovel. Three of us in Hollywood, Harrison Ford passed and Jane Lynch was not available.”
The Last of Us was a big winner on Saturday night, with Storm Reid also winning in the Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for her role as Ellie’s (Bella Ramsey) ill-fated friend, Riley. The show also won for Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup, Visual Effects, Main Title Design, Sound Editing, Sound Mixing and Picture Editing.
HBO announced in November 2023 that the series is planning to begin production on its second season in early 2024, following some delays due to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes.
The renewal of the video game adaptation series was announced on Jan. 27, 2023, two weeks after its series premiere became the streamer’s second-highest debut ever, behind Game of Thrones. In July, the show’s first season received 24 Emmy nominations, including Best Drama Series. Fans are now clamoring for what comes next.
“It still feels surreal to me that it’s going to go again,” Bella Ramsey told ET of the renewal news, adding, “I don’t want to go into it comparing it to the experience of the first season.”
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