Jenna Ortega and Pedro Pascal Bring Long-Absent Latino Representation to Drama, Comedy Emmy Categories

For the first time in nearly two decades, the Emmys recognized the work of Latino actors in its comedy and drama lead actor categories when the Television Academy announced this year’s nominees on Wednesday. The awards ceremony will take place on Sept. 18.

Jenna Ortega, who stars in Wednesday, is the first Latina to be nominated for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series category since America Ferrera was recognized for her work in Ugly Betty in 2007 and Rita Moreno got a nod for 9 to 5 in 1983. Wednesday received 13 nominations overall.

Pedro Pascal, star of The Last of Us, is the first Latino to receive a nomination in the Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series category since the Emmys recognized Jimmy Smits’ work on NYPD Blue in 1999. The Television Academy also nominated Pascal in the Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series category for hosting Saturday Night Live and Outstanding Narrator for CNN’s Patagonia: Life on the Edge of the World. The Last of Us received 24 nominations overall.

Last year, the only Latino and Hispanic actors to receive Emmy nominations were Oscar Isaac in the Lead Actor Limited/Anthology Series category for Scenes From a Marriage, and Colman Domingo in the Guest Actor Drama category for Euphoria, according to Deadline.

Ortega spoke last month about how much she enjoyed working on Wednesday because she felt the show’s creatives, especially filmmaker Tim Burton who directed four episodes of the series, carefully considered her opinions. “I think a project is best when there are as many voices and ideas thrown out as possible,” she said in a Hollywood Reporter roundtable. “And I’ve had experiences in TV where I felt my voice wasn’t heard, that I was meant to be a puppet. I’ve been told on sets, ‘You wouldn’t know because you’re not a writer,’ or, ‘Just shut up and do your job.’ From 12 years old, I’ve been hearing things like that.

“But I was fortunate to be working with someone like Tim Burton, who pulled me in his trailer one day and said that he wanted to be a soundboard for my voice,” she continued. “So, every day, me, him, the writers, we’d get together in the morning and go through sides.”