Pedro Pascal is officially in the running for giving the greatest awards speech of all time.
On Saturday night, the Last Of Us star won a SAG Award for his performance in the post-apocalyptic US drama, and leapt on stage after beating Succession’s Matthew Macfadyen, Brian Cox and Kieran Culkin, as well as The Morning Show actor Billy Crudup.
“This is wrong for a number of reasons: I’m a little drunk, I thought I could get drunk and thank you HBO,” said Pedro with a quivering voice at the podium, before he truly let loose.
“Jeez Louise, I’m making a fool of myself, but thank you so much for this!”
While Pedro’s captive audience erupted into cheers — including his friend and awards season “rival” Kieran Culkin — Pedro used his literal platform at that moment to thank the SAG-AFTRA union for helping him survive as a struggling actor.
“I’ve been in the union since 1999, so this is an incredible fucking honour,” he said. Then, as the audience reacted, he assured them: “We’re on Netflix.” (So no harm in swearing.)
Pedro thanked his family, “who is maybe watching, I’m not sure,” and began to cry — then decided this was no moment for tears, however, and sent the audience off with (what was maybe) a joke.
“I’m gonna have a panic attack and I’m gonna leave,” he remarked, before walking offstage.
The actor was far from panicked during his post-acceptance speech interview with Tan France, however. the Queer Eye star asked the winner how “badly” he was going to rub the award in Kieran Culkin’s face — as the Succession actor cheekily did to Pedro Pascal after winning a Golden Globe earlier this year.
“I’m gonna make out with Kieran,” he replied. “That’ll be my revenge.”