You probably know Josh Brener as the guy who plays lovable, awkward tech geniuses. He was the endearingly dim-witted Big Head in Silicon Valley. He was the high-energy voice of Donatello in Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. But if you blinked during the very first minutes of HBO’s massive hit, you might have missed him in a role that was lightyears away from Palo Alto.
Josh Brener appeared in The Last of Us as Murray, a 1960s talk show host.
It was a brief cameo. A flash in the pan. Yet, it set the entire tone for the most depressing apocalypse in television history.
The Mystery of Murray: Josh Brener in The Last of Us
Most people expected the series to start with Pedro Pascal or a chaotic outbreak in a suburban neighborhood. Instead, we got a talk show set in 1968. Josh Brener leads this prologue, wearing a period-accurate suit and a polite, inquisitive smile. He isn't playing a hero or a survivor. He’s playing a mediator.
His character, Murray, is interviewing two scientists about the possibility of a global pandemic. It feels like a cozy, late-night chat. The lighting is warm. The audience is chuckling. Brener brings that signature "everyman" charm that makes the audience feel safe.
Then, John Hannah’s character starts talking about fungi.
The contrast is what makes the scene work. You have Brener, the king of comedic timing and lightness, acting as the foil to a man describing the end of the world. As Murray, Brener has to transition from lighthearted skepticism to a subtle, creeping realization that the jokes aren't landing.
It's a masterclass in holding space.
He doesn't have a lot of lines, but his facial expressions do the heavy lifting. When Dr. Neuman (Hannah) explains that a fungus could theoretically take over a human mind if the world gets just a little bit warmer, the camera lingers on Brener. That goofy, talk-show-host grin slowly falters. Honestly, it’s one of the most chilling moments in the pilot because it represents us—the audience—realizing that the world we know is incredibly fragile.
Why Fans Keep Asking About a Return
Because the show utilizes a non-linear start, fans have been scouring IMDB and Reddit for news on whether Josh Brener in The Last of Us was a one-and-done deal. We know Season 2 is deep into production, focusing on the events of the second game.
Could Murray come back?
Realistically, the character is almost certainly dead or a very old Clicker by the time Joel and Ellie meet. The prologue took place in 1968. The main timeline starts in 2003 and then jumps to 2023. Unless the showrunners decide to do more "flash-back-to-the-flashback" segments to show the early days of the cordyceps spread, Murray’s story is likely finished.
Brener himself has been asked about this in various interviews. In a conversation with Deadline, he joked about his wife trying to nudge the creators to bring him back. But let's be real: Murray served his purpose. He was the face of a civilization that didn't see the end coming.
A Departure from the "Big Head" Brand
For long-time fans of Brener, seeing him in a prestige HBO drama—even for five minutes—was a trip. He's built a career on being the "Silicon Valley" guy. He usually plays characters who are either the smartest person in the room or the luckiest idiot on the planet.
In The Last of Us, he had to play it straight.
There were no "Always Blue" chants or Big Gulp cups. He had to embody a specific era of American broadcasting. It showed a range that a lot of people didn't know he had. It’s that ability to blend into a high-stakes environment without losing his natural charisma that makes him such a reliable character actor.
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The Legacy of the 1968 Prologue
The decision to cast a recognizable comedic actor like Brener in that opening was a stroke of genius by Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann. If they had cast a stern, serious newsman, the scene would have felt like a lecture. By casting Brener, it felt like a conversation.
It made the horror more relatable.
We’ve all seen those daytime talk shows. We’ve all seen the banter. Seeing that familiar format get hijacked by a terrifying scientific prophecy makes the threat of the Cordyceps feel grounded in reality. It wasn't just some sci-fi monster; it was a biological inevitability discussed over coffee on live TV.
Where is Josh Brener now?
Since his stint in the apocalypse, Brener hasn't slowed down. He’s been prolific in the voice-acting world and recently appeared in the Netflix film Carry-On. He’s also slated for the 2025 film Cold Wallet.
While he might not be dodging Bloaters in Jackson or Seattle anytime soon, his contribution to the lore of the show remains a favorite talking point for "Easter egg" hunters. He is part of the small, elite group of actors who existed in the "Before Times" of the series.
Actionable Insights for Fans
If you're looking to dive deeper into the world of the show or Brener’s work, here is what you should actually do:
- Rewatch the Pilot: Pay attention to the background details in the 1968 scene. The props and the way Brener interacts with the "audience" tell a story of a world that felt invincible.
- Explore His Range: Check out Mythic Quest on Apple TV+. Brener plays a young version of a key character in a standalone episode called "Backstory!" that hits many of the same emotional notes as his Last of Us appearance.
- Track Season 2 Casting: While Murray is unlikely to return, the showrunners have a habit of casting actors with "comedic" backgrounds in surprisingly dark roles. Keep an eye on new cast announcements to see if they follow this trend.
Josh Brener might have only had a few minutes of screen time, but he remains a crucial piece of the puzzle that made the series a cultural phenomenon. He gave a face to the world we lost. That is no small feat for a talk show host from the sixties.