This 10-year-old from Maryland becomes first Black deaf boy to earn Emmy Nomination

Keivonn Woodard, a 10-year-old boy from Bowie, Maryland, has made history as the first Black deaf actor to be nominated for an Emmy Award.

He received a nomination in the category of Outstanding Guest Actor in a drama series for his role in HBO’s “The Last of Us.”

The post-apocalyptic zombie series, based on a popular 2013 video game, features Woodard as Sam, a deaf child with leukemia.

While his video game counterpart isn’t deaf, the producers decided to cast a deaf actor for the role, making Woodard’s performance stand out on the critically-acclaimed show.

Woodard expressed his awareness of the nomination’s “importance and huge impact” on actors like him, according to Deadline.

His mother April Jackson-Woodard also shared her joy and surprise, saying she “never thought or dreamed it would happen” to his son, especially on his first TV show.

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In his historical achievement, Woodard also became the youngest-ever nominee in the Outstanding Guest Actor category and the second-youngest person to be nominated overall for an Emmy Award.

Alongside his acting aspirations, Woodard is also passionate about hockey and dreams of becoming the first deaf Black player in the National Hockey League.

Be sure to follow him on Instagram @KeivonnWoodard

In another news store:

Black woman from Florida turns 103 years old, says she rarely eats out

Theodora Walters, a resident of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, recently turned 103 years old. She celebrated with her family, friends, and loved ones.

When asked about the secret to her long and healthy life, Walters’ family members said that she is “good to people, always helping out and gives lots of love,” according to Local 10 News.

Walters also revealed that she rarely dines out and always takes the time to prepare her own meals.

Walters officially turned 103 years old on June 30th. Her loved ones recently gathered at her home to celebrate her life milestone