Pedro Pascal was the centre of attention at the 2023 MTV Movie and TV Awards when The Last of Us swept the board with three big wins. The actor took the opportunity to pay a touching tribute to his co-star, Bella Ramsey. Pascal, who played Joel in the hit HBO adaptation of an action adventure game, initially won the award for Best Hero and started off by addressing young people around the world.

As he accepted the golden popcorn trophy, Pascal shared: "I am a child of MTV. This means the absolute world to me." The Mandalorian star became visibly emotional as he continued: "All the young people in the world are my heroes. You deserve to be healthy, you deserve to be safe, you deserve real heroes — because you are real heroes to me."

Pascal bagged the award despite facing stiff competition from the likes of Tom Cruise, Paul Rudd, Jenna Ortega, and Diego Luna. His celebrations didn't stop there, as The Last of Us was later crowned Best Show, beating Wednesday, Stranger Things and Yellowjackets to the top spot.

In another pre-recorded message, Pascal accepted the award on behalf of creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann, along with the full cast and crew. "They made it a family experience," Pascal said. "One of the best experiences of my life."

He also took a moment to stand in solidarity with the Writers Guild of America strike, which had threatened to derail the awards ceremony entirely. "We thank you, we love you," he added. "I’m going to take these [golden popcorns] to bed with me."

But the most moving tribute came during Pascal's third win of the night, when he landed the title of Best Duo alongside Bella Ramsey.

Pascal gushed over his co-star, saying: "I wish Bella and I were together, but we will be soon, so stay tuned!" He also told their fanbase: "I miss you, I love you, you ARE the duo. Thank you to the fans. Gosh, it feels like there isn't anything we wouldn't do for you, because of how much you embraced the show."

Ramsey appeared seperately via video to echo the sentiment, saying: "Me and Pedro love each other deeply. I love him, and I can’t imagine doing this without him."

At the time the duo's chemistry sparked a reaction from viewers, who took to social media to share their love for the actors. One person gasped: "BELLA AND PEDRO WON BEST DUOOO AHHHHHHH." Another wept: "Pedro looks at Bella like they are his CHILD. I'm in TEARS."