Pedro Pascal brought some humor to the otherwise stuffy Emmys ceremony Sunday night when he jokingly blamed co-nominee Kieran Culkin for injuring his arm.
The Lead-Up
Pascal attended the star-studded event with his arm in a sling, prompting speculation about how he sustained the injury. Earlier this month, he walked the Golden Globes red carpet with the sling as well.
When taking the Emmys stage to present the award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, Pascal finally addressed the lingering question.
“As the ancient Hawaiian proverb goes, ‘Never turn your back on an enemy when you’re both on the edge of a cliff,'” Pascal quipped. “This is Kieran’s fault!”
While the audio censorship tried to bleep Pascal, his lips could clearly be read saying “that little slime puppy broke my arm.”
Culkin and Pascal’s Blossoming Faux Feud
Pascal’s Emmy comments refer back to Culkin’s own barb at the actor during his Golden Globes acceptance speech a couple weeks prior.
Culkin beat out Pascal to take home the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a TV Series Drama for his role on HBO’s smash hit “Succession.”
“Pedro, hey, man. I hope your arm heals quickly because I want to beat the crap out of you again next year,” Culkin joked during his speech.
This kicked off a fake feud between the two actors that delighted awards show audiences.
Pascal’s decision to keep the bit running by blaming Culkin for his actual injury shows he’s happy to play along. Considering Culkin’s promise to “beat the crap out” of Pascal again, we can likely expect another installment of their faux beef at the next awards cycle.
The Aftermath
While clearly done in jest, Pascal’s comments lit up social media and spawned think pieces galore about toxic masculinity in Hollywood.
Several outlets dubbed it the best moment of the night, with memes and gifs of Pascal’s censored speech flooding Twitter. Even Pedro’s “The Last of Us” co-star Bella Ramsey got in on the fun by tweeting, “Two dolls fightin!”
Others offered more mixed takes, applauding the rare display of humor while feeling ambivalent about Pascal making light of violence against a peer.
“There’s celebrating art and having a laugh, sure. But even joking about harming colleagues who are likely friends beyond the stage feels iffy for me,” wrote culture critic Grace Watkins.
What’s Next for Pascal
Fresh off his fake feud with Culkin, Pascal has a busy year ahead.
He will continue his starring role as Joel on the smash hit HBO series “The Last of Us,” with season two slated to begin production early next year.
Pascal also recently wrapped filming the long-awaited “Madalorian” spinoff “Ahsoka,” featuring Rosario Dawson’s character. He is expected to reprise his role as the titular Mandalorian for a potential fourth season of that show later this year.
In 2025, Pascal is set to enter another major franchise when he takes on the adversary role of the video game character Mario in the new Super Mario Bros film.
Considering Mario’s notorious rivalry with Donkey Kong, we can expect Pascal to channel that competitive energy into more fake feuds with co-stars in the years to come.
| Year | Award Show | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Golden Globes | “Pedro, hey, man. I hope your arm heals quickly because I want to beat the crap out of you again next year.” – Kieran Culkin |
| 2024 | Emmy Awards | “This is Kieran’s fault! That little slime puppy broke my arm.” – Pedro Pascal |
Culkin Also Has Exciting Projects Ahead
As for Kieran Culkin, he also has big things in store beyond his playful banter with Pascal.
Culkin will star in the fourth season of “Succession” as Roman Roy, the fan-favorite troublesome middle son in the wealthy Roy family. Production is currently underway, though an official release date has yet to be announced.
He also recently signed onto an exciting secretive new project from director Luca Guadagnino, reuniting the “Call Me By Your Name” collaborators. Details are sparse, but the indie darling director promises a “wild ride” with his latest feat.
Between their bustling acting careers and apparent off-screen chemistry, we have surely not seen the last of Pascal and Culkin’s friendly rivalry.
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