Storm Reid took home the Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series at the 2024 Creative Arts Emmys. The award recognized her powerful performance as Riley Abel in HBO’s acclaimed series ‘The Last of Us.’ At just 20 years old, Reid’s Emmy win marks a significant career milestone. She earned the award for her scenes opposite co-stars Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey in the popular post-apocalyptic drama. In capturing this honor, Reid beat out seasoned veterans amid a very competitive field.
In media interviews after the ceremony, Reid spoke passionately about what the role meant to her. Though initially unsure about its impact, she came to appreciate the opportunity it provided to rekindle her love for storytelling. “I’m just so grateful to the show for allowing me to really, re-fall in love with storytelling,” she continued. “It’s not that I fell out of love with storytelling, but I think my role in The Last of Us really reinforced my love and passion to be able to tell meaningful stories and to be a representation for young women, young Black women, young, queer Black women. I’m grateful to Bella, Craig [Mazin] and the entire team for making the show. It was absolutely special to watch and I always say that I feel like I would be a big fan of the show, even if I wasn’t a part of the show.” She also emphasized Riley’s importance in representing young, Black, queer women on screen.
Reid’s win punctuated a standout night for ‘The Last of Us’ at the Creative Arts Emmys. The acclaimed series took home 8 awards including Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup, Visual Effects, Main Title Design, Sound Editing, Sound Mixing, and Picture Editing. Additionally, Nick Offerman earned the Guest Actor award for his work on the show. With its wins across a range of creative categories, ‘The Last of Us’ gained further momentum heading into next month’s Primetime Emmy Awards.
