Finding the right faces for a global phenomenon is a nightmare. Honestly, when HBO announced they were adapting Naughty Dog’s masterpiece, the internet basically had a collective heart attack. Fans weren’t just worried; they were protective. For a decade, the voices of Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson were the definitive versions of Joel and Ellie. Changing that felt like sacrilege to some. But casting The Last of Us wasn't just about finding people who looked like pixels. It was about finding actors who could survive the weight of a dying world.
It worked. Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey didn't just step into the roles; they took ownership of them. However, the road to those final decisions was messy, filled with "what ifs," and almost included some very different names that would have changed the entire vibe of the show.
The Joel Problem: Why Pedro Pascal Wasn't the Only Choice
The search for Joel Miller was intense. You need a guy who can look like he’s capable of horrific violence but also look like he might cry if he watches a Sarah McLachlan commercial. He’s a broken father. He’s a smuggler. He’s a killer.
Before Pedro Pascal signed on, there were a lot of rumors flying around. Mahershala Ali was a name that surfaced frequently in trade reports. Can you imagine that? Ali has this incredible, quiet intensity—very different from Pascal’s rugged, weary warmth. It would have been a fascinating take, likely more stoic and perhaps even more intimidating. But the timing didn't align. Pascal was already a massive star thanks to The Mandalorian, but showrunner Craig Mazin and game creator Neil Druckmann knew they needed someone who could play "vulnerable jerk" perfectly.
Pascal actually read the scripts while he was in England, and he was hooked instantly. The chemistry wasn't even a question once he and Bella Ramsey started filming. But it’s wild to think that the internet’s "Cool Dad" almost didn't get the part because of scheduling conflicts with his other massive franchises. Luck played a huge role here.
The Matthew McConaughey Rumors
For a hot minute, everyone thought Matthew McConaughey was the frontrunner. It makes sense on paper. He’s got the Texas grit. He’s played the grieving father before in Interstellar. People were already photoshopping his face onto Joel’s flannel shirt. While there were reportedly some early discussions or at least "interest" from the studio side, it never went past the tire-kicking phase.
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Honestly? It might have been too distracting. When you cast a massive A-lister like McConaughey, the audience sees the actor, not the character. Pascal has this uncanny ability to disappear into a role despite being one of the most famous people on the planet.
Why Bella Ramsey was the "Only Choice" for Ellie
If casting Joel was hard, casting Ellie was a death wish. Ellie is the heart of the story. If the audience doesn't love her, the show fails. Period.
Craig Mazin recently mentioned that they looked at over 100 actors for the role of Ellie. Some were too old. Some were too "polished." Ellie needs to be foul-mouthed, terrifyingly brave, and deeply lonely. She’s a kid who has never seen a movie or been to a mall.
When Bella Ramsey’s audition tape arrived, the search basically ended. Druckmann has been vocal about how Ramsey didn't need to mimic Ashley Johnson’s performance from the games. She just needed to be Ellie.
- She had the "f-you" energy from her time as Lyanna Mormont in Game of Thrones.
- She possessed a specific kind of raw, unedited emotional range.
- She looked like a real kid, not a Hollywood version of a teenager.
There was a lot of toxic noise online when she was cast—mostly from people complaining she didn't look exactly like the character model. It was exhausting. But once the first episode aired, that talk died down fast. Her performance in "Left Behind" and the harrowing winter sequence proved that casting The Last of Us with a focus on soul over resemblance was the right move.
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The Supporting Cast: Perfection in the Details
The show didn't just stop at the leads. The guest stars are what give the series its episodic weight.
Take Nick Offerman as Bill. Originally, the role was supposed to go to Con O'Neill, but scheduling conflicts (the villain of all Hollywood stories) forced him to drop out. Offerman stepped in and gave us what is arguably the best hour of television in the last decade. It’s a departure from the game’s version of Bill—who is bitter and paranoid—turning him into a man who finds a reason to live through love.
Then there's the Henry and Sam casting. Lamar Johnson and Keivonn Woodard brought a level of tragedy that actually surpassed the source material. Keivonn, who is deaf in real life, added a layer of communication and protective instinct to Henry’s character that wasn't in the original game. It made their ending hit ten times harder.
Moving Into Season 2: The Abby Challenge
The internet nearly broke again when Kaitlyn Dever was announced as Abby for Season 2. If you know the games, you know why this is the most controversial casting decision in the history of the franchise.
Dever was actually a fan favorite to play Ellie years ago when a movie version of the game was in "development hell." Now, she’s playing the woman who—well, if you know, you know. Casting her is a stroke of genius because she’s a phenomenal actress who can play "steely resolve" better than almost anyone.
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- Isabela Merced as Dina: This is a huge win. She has the charm and the chemistry needed to ground Ellie’s story in Season 2.
- Young Mazino as Jesse: Fresh off his breakout role in Beef, he brings a needed reliability to the group.
- Catherine O’Hara: We don't even know exactly who she's playing yet, but it’s Catherine O’Hara. You don't say no to a legend.
Misconceptions About the Process
People think casting is just about who looks like the drawing. It’s not. It’s about "the spark."
When they were casting The Last of Us, the producers were looking for actors who could handle the physical toll of the shoot. This wasn't a cozy studio job. They were out in the Canadian cold, trekking through mud, and dealing with intense stunt work. You need people who won't complain when they’re covered in fake blood for the fourteenth hour in a row.
Also, the "voice actor vs. screen actor" debate was huge. Why not just hire Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson? While both are incredible—and both have cameos in the show—acting for a camera is a different beast than acting for motion capture. The subtle micro-expressions needed for an HBO close-up require a different kind of training. The show honored the originals by giving them meaningful roles (Baker as James and Johnson as Ellie’s mother), which felt like a passing of the torch rather than a replacement.
What This Means for Future Adaptations
The success of this cast changed the "video game movie" curse forever. It proved that if you respect the source material but aren't afraid to let new actors find their own voice, you can create something even better than a direct copy.
If you're a filmmaker or a writer, there’s a massive lesson here: don't cast for the fans' "dream list." Cast for the chemistry you see in the room. If Mazin had listened to Twitter, we would have had a very different, likely much worse, show.
Actionable Takeaways for Following the Production:
- Watch the "Inside the Episode" segments: HBO Max (or Max) has deep dives into why specific actors were chosen for specific scenes. It's a masterclass in production.
- Follow Neil Druckmann on social media: He often shares the "why" behind the creative deviations from the game, including casting choices.
- Replay the game after watching the show: You’ll notice how Pascal and Ramsey actually influenced how people view the characters now. It’s a rare feedback loop where the adaptation informs the original.
- Keep an eye on Season 2 set leaks: While spoilers are everywhere, seeing the physical transformations of actors like Kaitlyn Dever gives you a hint at how they’re handling the "physicality" of the roles.
The reality is that casting The Last of Us was a gamble that paid off because the creators prioritized emotional intelligence over physical mimicry. It wasn't about finding a Joel look-alike; it was about finding a man who could convey twenty years of grief in a single sideways glance. As we move into the darker, more complex territory of Part II, the foundations laid by this cast are the only thing that will keep the audience from lookin' away.