Jeff Hiller earns Emmy nod and unexpected ChatGPT comparisons
Actor Jeff Hiller has earned his second career Emmy nomination for a performance that lasted just seven minutes, but it is the unexpected comparison to ChatGPT that has amused him the most.
Hiller received a nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for his appearance as Larry in Apple TV+’s science-fiction drama Pluribus. The actor recently addressed the reaction during an appearance on The Daily Show, where he admitted he never expected viewers to compare his character to artificial intelligence.
“I’ve heard this. A lot of people have said, ‘You’re just like ChatGPT,’” Hiller said while discussing audience reactions to his role.
Reflecting on his performance, he joked that his original intention had been very different from how viewers interpreted it.
“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,” he said.
In Pluribus, created by Vince Gilligan, Hiller portrays Larry, a cheerful biker who shares a memorable conversation with Carol, played by Rhea Seehorn, in the fourth episode of the series.
The show is set in a world where a mysterious virus has transformed most of humanity into a blissfully content hive mind. Carol is among the few people who remain unaffected, and her interaction with Larry becomes one of the episode’s defining moments.
The scene, in which Carol questions Larry about the intentions of the hive mind, ultimately earned Hiller widespread praise and an Emmy nomination despite his limited screen time.
Speaking about his chances of winning at this year’s ceremony, Hiller remained characteristically humorous.
“I’m not gonna win,” he joked before revealing the acceptance speech he believes would fit the unusual journey of his performance.
“Suck it!” he quipped, laughing at the idea that his role had resonated with audiences in such an unexpected way.
The nomination marks another milestone in Hiller’s career. It is his second Emmy nomination in two years, following his success for portraying Joel in the final season of HBO’s critically acclaimed comedy Somebody Somewhere.
Since then, Hiller has continued to build an impressive television résumé with guest appearances in series including Elsbeth, Ghosts and Widow’s Bay, further establishing himself as one of television’s most dependable character actors.
His latest recognition also highlights the impact a brief but memorable performance can have, with just seven minutes on screen proving enough to leave a lasting impression on both viewers and Emmy voters.
The 77th Primetime Emmy Awards nominees were announced earlier this month, with Hiller among the contenders in the guest actor drama category. The ceremony will honour the year’s best performances across television.
While Hiller insists he is not expecting to take home another Emmy trophy, his humorous response to being compared with ChatGPT has become one of the lighter moments of this year’s awards season, showing that even an unconventional audience reaction can become part of an actor’s success story.
