Jeff Hiller earns Emmy nod in Apple TV’s 'Pluribus'

Jeff Hiller was listed again for the second time in Emmy nominations for seven minutes of screen time in Apple TV’s Pluribus, an achievement he’s found himself explaining alongside an unexpected side effect: viewers keep comparing his performance to ChatGPT.

During an interview with The Daily Show, Hiller played a biker who interacts with Rhea Seehorn’s Carol in the show’s fourth episode. He further noted, “I’ve heard this. A lot of people have said, ‘You’re just like ChatGPT.

“I was trying to convey extreme love for her. And instead, I did ChatGPT. Anyway, I got an Emmy nomination for it. Sometimes you aim for one target, you hit another.” Hiller was candid about his chances in the category, joking, “I’m not gonna win,” before offering up the acceptance speech he says would make more narrative sense given the response to his performance: “Suck it!”

In Pluribus, Vince Gilligan’s sci-fi series, Carol is one of the few people immune to a mysterious virus that has turned most of the world into a blissfully content hive mind. Larry’s conversation with her, in which he’s questioned about what the hive mind wants, became the moment that earned Hiller the nomination.

It marked his second Emmy nod in as many years; he won Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series last year for his role as Joel in the final season of HBO’s Somebody Somewhere, and has since built a busy run of guest spots across shows including Elsbeth, Ghosts and Widow’s Bay.

The 77th Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony has not yet been held; nominees for the current cycle were announced earlier this month, with Hiller up for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series.