Deaf player shocked with Emmy nomination for 'The Last of Us' role

"Hollywood" couldn't believe that Hollywood came calling again.

Keivonn Woodard, a 10-year-old Maryland hockey player and actor who is deaf, was stunned to learn Wednesday he was nominated for a 2023 Emmy Award in the best guest actor in a drama series category for his appearance in the HBO hit "The Last of Us."

The Bowie Hockey Club forward, whose teammates and coaches call him "Hollywood" for his effusive goal celebrations, is the youngest actor to be nominated in the guest actor category.

April Jackson-Woodard, Keivonn's mom, was out having ice cream with Keivonn when she heard the news from "The Last of Us" star Bella Ramsey, who received an Emmy nomination for lead actress in a drama series.

"She texted me from Europe," Jackson-Woodard said. "She told me, 'Congratulations, Keivonn was nominated for an Emmy, and I was, like, 'What?' Wow, that was so wonderful. I was, like, 'Wow.' And she said, 'Yassss.'

"When I told Keivonn, he was like, 'What? What? Oh, that's a big honor in America to be recognized, and a Black, deaf actor?' Oh, he was just shocked, so shocked."

Keivonn plays Sam in the postapocalyptic zombie fungus thriller, which is adapted from the popular "The Last of Us" video game. Sam isn't deaf in the video game. Craig Mazin, the series co-creator with Neil Druckmann, suggested the change to increase representation of people with disabilities on screen.

But there weren't many deaf, Black male actors between 7 and 12 years old who were fluent in American or British sign language. So Mazin put out a casting call on Twitter, which caught the attention of friends of the Woodard family.

Keivonn, a novice actor, sent in an audition video. Mazin said he knew he had his Sam when he saw it. And "Hollywood" didn't disappoint.

"It's just a remarkable thing for somebody that young to, just think about it, he's never acted before, he gets on a plane, goes to a country he's never been to before (the show was shot near Calgary), steps on the set of one of the biggest shows on television in terms of just the size of it, and does so well," Mazin told NHL.com on Thursday. "And he gets nominated for an Emmy? I mean, wow, we are all so proud of him."

Keivonn, who is listed as Keivonn Montreal Woodard on the official Emmy ballot, is up against some heavy hitters for the award, including Nick Offerman, also for "The Last of Us," and James Cromwell, for "Succession." His is one of 24 Emmy nominations for "The Last of Us."

"All I can say is if you're [10] years old and you get nominated for your first acting job, you've won," Mazin said. "You get to put on a tux. You get to go to this big show, meet all these famous people. People are going to applaud your face and your name.

"So many people are going to want to meet him and shake his hand because so many people saw the show, and that's special. So, no matter what happens on that night, how can you look it any other way but to say Keivonn has won?"

The Emmys are scheduled for Sept. 18, but that date could be changed because of the ongoing strike by Hollywood writers.

The news of Keivonn's Emmy nomination was greeted with cheers in the Washington-area hockey community, which has had a hand in his success on the ice.

Keivonn, whose entire family is deaf, plays with the assistance of an American Sign Language interpreter who is on the bench at games and practices. The Bowie Hockey Club also devised a special lighting system that alerts Keivonn to play stoppages and shift changes.

Funding for the interpreter comes from a $10,000 grant that the Bowie club received from the Washington Capitals and Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation's Capital Impact Fund in October 2022.

"The Capitals are thrilled for Keivonn on his historic Emmy nomination," said Amanda Tischler, the Capitals senior vice president of marketing. "Keivonn is an immense talent, and the honor is incredibly well-deserved. Whether on the screen or on the ice, we are always rooting for Keivonn, and we can't wait to cheer him on during the Emmy Awards …"

Lori Jones, president of the Bowie Hockey Club, said her organization is also over the moon about Keivonn's nomination.

"It's very exciting for him," Jones said. "He has just so many opportunities and an awareness that, even if you're deaf, you can still play hockey. It's just really awesome. I'm so happy for him and his family."

Jackson-Woodard said Keivonn's nomination is huge news within the deaf community, especially the Black deaf community.

"The barriers have been broken," she said. "Keivonn, his story says something about that."

Keivonn aspires to be a professional hockey player. He met Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin, his favorite NHL player, and former Capitals forward Devante Smith-Pelly when he attended a team practice in February.

The potential of winning an Emmy won't change his hockey dreams, Jackson-Woodard said.

"He's loyal to hockey," she said Thursday. "He's focused, he's very passionate about it."

Photos: HBO, Washington Capitals Photography, Bowie Hockey Club