Pedro Pascal and Adam Scott traded an awkward moment on the red carpet at the Emmy Awards when Pascal reached in for a hug and Scott appeared to pull away, a video of the exchange shows.
The encounter, recorded before the ceremony at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles, shows Pascal, dressed in an all-white ensemble and sunglasses, turning toward Scott and leaning in for an embrace. Scott, a nominee for his role in Severance, placed his hands on Pascal’s shoulders and stepped back, according to a body-language expert who reviewed the clip. Both actors were contenders in the Best Actor in a Drama Series category.
Judi James, a body-language expert, told the Daily Mail that Scott performed several nonverbal gestures consistent with what she called “hug-avoidance.” "Pedro's arms were in the act of encircling Adam's torso when Adam performed a 'braking' gesture by putting his hands onto Pedro's shoulders to halt the hug in its tracks," she said. James described Scott pulling his head back, arching away and squeezing Pascal's arms to end the embrace, then stepping back and clapping his hands in front of his torso before patting Pascal in what she characterized as a gesture to move the encounter along.
The clip was shared widely online after the awards show. Observers noted the contrast between Pascal’s open, tactile approach and Scott’s more reserved response.
Pascal has been described in recent coverage as someone who often greets friends and co-stars with physical affection. In recent weeks he has been the subject of online attention after several close encounters with colleagues were highlighted on social media; some viewers called those interactions "creepy." The actor has publicly discussed his tendency to reach out to others as a way of managing anxiety. In an interview with Men's Health earlier this year, Pascal said he had made a concerted effort to engage more with friends and family following a period of isolation in 2020, and that maintaining contact helps him when he feels anxious.
Scott and Pascal did not comment on the taped exchange at the time it circulated. The brief interaction took place amid an evening of awards and formal greetings, and the recording captured only that single moment between the two nominees.