Keivonn Woodard

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Keivonn Woodard
Keivonn Woodard, Daily Moth 2022 4.png
Woodard in 2022
Born (2013-02-09) February 9, 2013 (age 12)
NationalityAmerican
OccupationActor
Years active2018–present

Keivonn Montreal Woodard (born February 9, 2013) is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Sam in the HBO post-apocalyptic drama series The Last of Us (2023), for which he received a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series.

Contents

Career

Woodard made his film debut in 2018 with the film Seeds of Hope: The Andrew Jackson Foster Story. He earned wider recognition and critical acclaim for his performance in the HBO post-apocalyptic drama series The Last of Us . Woodard starred as Sam, a survivor who travels with his brother Henry in the episodes "Please Hold to My Hand" and "Endure and Survive". [1] [2] [3]

Woodard, who is Deaf, was hired for The Last of Us after series co-creator Craig Mazin, looking for a young actor fluent in American Sign Language, sent a casting call out via Twitter. [4] [5] For his role in the series, Woodard was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series, becoming the youngest nominee in the category at age 10 and the second-youngest Emmy nominee after Keshia Knight Pulliam for The Cosby Show . [6] [7] He is the first black deaf actor and second deaf actor overall (after Marlee Matlin) to be nominated for an Emmy Award. [8] [9] His performance also earned him an Independent Spirit Award [10] and nominations for a Black Reel TV Award [11] and an NAACP Image Award. [12] In August 2024, Woodard was an honoree of Time 's Kid of the Year. [5]

As of August 2024, Woodard is set to appear in Fractal, a short film by Anslem Richardson, [5] [8] as well as Steal Away, a feature film by Stephen Ashley Blake. [5]

Personal life

Born on February 9, 2013, [6] [13] Woodard lives in Bowie, Maryland, with his mother, April Jackson-Woodard; his father, Dwayne Woodard, died in 2021. In addition to acting, he plays ice hockey. [1] [4]

Filmography

Key
†Denotes works that have not yet been released

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2018Seeds of Hope: The Andrew Jackson Foster StoryDeaf studentFilm debut
TBAFractal†TamirShort film; Completed
Steal Away†MatteoPre-production

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2023 The Last of Us Sam 2 episodes

Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series

2024 Bunk'd MilesEpisode 160: "Slapshot to the Heart"[ citation needed ]

References

  1. 1 2 Loock, Megan (March 29, 2023). "The Last of Us star Keivonn Woodard of Bowie excels on the ice and on camera". Capital Gazette . Retrieved July 14, 2023.
  2. ↑ Romano, Nick (February 10, 2023). "The Last of Us stars behind Henry and Sam wanted to do justice to 'heartbreaking' storyline". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved July 14, 2023.
  3. ↑ Jackson, Destiny (February 10, 2023). "The Last of Us Actors Lamar Johnson and Keivonn Woodard on the Emotional Filming of 'Endure and Survive'". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved July 14, 2023.
  4. 1 2 Douglas, William (February 12, 2023). "Color of Hockey: 10-year-old deaf player lands role on The Last of Us". National Hockey League . Retrieved July 14, 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 4 McCluskey, Megan (August 15, 2024). "Keivonn Woodard". Time . Retrieved September 26, 2024.
  6. 1 2 Hibberd, James (July 12, 2023). "The Last of Us Actor Makes Emmy History as Youngest Ever Honored in Category". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved July 14, 2023.
  7. ↑ Coggan, Devan (July 12, 2023). "The Last of Us star Keivonn Montreal Woodard sets Emmy record as youngest nominee in category". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved July 14, 2023.
  8. 1 2 Jackson, Destiny (July 12, 2023). "The Last of Us Guest Star Keivonn Woodard on 'Humbling' Historical Emmy Nomination: 'I Was in Shock' and Making a Familial Connection with His Fellow Nominees". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved July 14, 2023.
  9. ↑ Davis, Clayton (July 12, 2023). "Emmys Diversity Report: Pedro Pascal Makes Latino History, Black Women Set Acting Record". Variety . Retrieved July 14, 2023.
  10. ↑ Chery, Samantha; Scribner, Herb; Yuan, Jada (February 26, 2024). "Past Lives, American Fiction win at 2024 Film Independent Spirit Awards" . The Washington Post . Retrieved February 26, 2024.
  11. ↑ Complex, Valerie (June 15, 2023). "Black Reel 7th Annual Television Awards Featuring Gender Neutral Categories Announces Nominations; The Best Man: Final Chapters Leads with 18 Noms". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved July 14, 2023.
  12. ↑ Jackson, Angelique (January 25, 2024). "Colman Domingo, Ayo Edebiri, Victoria Monét and Usher Lead NAACP Image Award Nominations". Variety . Retrieved March 20, 2024.
  13. ↑ Woodard, Keivonn [@keivonnwoodard] (February 9, 2023). "Happy Birthday to me!". Archived from the original on November 2, 2023. Retrieved November 2, 2023– via Instagram.
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