When you think about Tommy Miller, you probably think of a guy who is constantly caught between being a stone-cold survivor and a man with a heart too big for the apocalypse. He's the moral compass of The Last of Us, or at least he tries to be until things go sideways in the second act. But if you’ve been following the franchise, you know there isn't just one last of us tommy actor.
There are actually two men who have defined this character across different mediums. One gave him a voice and a soul in the games, while the other brought his rugged Texan charm to the HBO series.
It’s a weirdly beautiful dynamic.
Gabriel Luna, who plays Tommy in the live-action show, didn't just step into a vacuum. He stepped into a role already mastered by Jeffrey Pierce. And honestly? Most people don't realize that Jeffrey Pierce was actually in the HBO show too, just not as Tommy.
The Man Who Started It All: Jeffrey Pierce
Jeffrey Pierce is the OG.
He provided the voice and the motion capture for Tommy in both the 2013 original game and the 2020 sequel. If you’ve played the games, that's his performance you’re feeling when Tommy is trying to convince Joel to take Ellie, or when he’s descending into a dark, vengeful spiral in Seattle.
Funny enough, Pierce didn't even audition for Tommy at first. He actually went out for the role of Joel.
The producers liked him, but they clearly saw him more as the younger brother. That worked out for the best. Pierce’s performance in The Last of Us Part II was so gut-wrenching that it earned him a BAFTA nomination. He brought this specific brand of "broken but trying" that made Tommy more than just a sidekick.
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When HBO announced they were making a show, fans wondered if Pierce would get the nod. Instead, the creators decided to go in a different direction for the physical portrayal, but they didn't leave Pierce in the dust. They cast him as Perry, the tactical, bearded right-hand man to Kathleen in the Kansas City episodes.
It was a brilliant nod to the fans.
Hearing that voice come out of a different character was jarring in the best way possible. Pierce has a massive resume outside of Naughty Dog’s world, too. You’ve probably seen or heard him in:
- Medal of Honor (as Mother)
- Call of Duty: WWII
- Bosch
- Castle Rock
He’s a veteran of the industry who understands the "warrior" archetype better than almost anyone.
Gabriel Luna: Bringing Tommy to the Big Screen
Then there’s Gabriel Luna.
If you recognize him, it’s probably because he was the terrifying Rev-9 in Terminator: Dark Fate or Robbie Reyes (Ghost Rider) in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.. When he was announced as the last of us tommy actor for the HBO series, there was the usual internet noise. But that quieted down pretty fast once people saw him on screen.
Luna is a Texas native, born and raised in Austin. That’s a big deal.
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He didn't have to fake the accent or the vibe. He is that guy. In interviews, he’s mentioned that he used his own relationship with his brother to build the chemistry with Pedro Pascal. That bond is the glue of the first few episodes.
When the outbreak hits in the show, Luna’s Tommy is the one holding it together while Joel is spiraling. He brings a certain "lion and lamb" energy to the role. He’s capable of incredible violence to protect his family, but he’s also the guy who wants to build a communal garden and start a family in Jackson.
Why the Casting Worked
The show didn't just copy the game.
Luna’s Tommy feels a bit more optimistic at times, which makes the inevitable shift in Season 2 even more painful to anticipate. He played through the games to prepare, but he didn't try to impersonate Jeffrey Pierce. He took the "soul" of the character—the former soldier, the disillusioned Firefly—and made it his own.
The physical presence is different, sure. But the "Texas" of it all is identical.
The Tommy Miller Legacy and Season 2
Looking ahead, the last of us tommy actor is going to have a lot more heavy lifting to do.
If you know the story of the second game, you know Tommy goes through it. Hard. We’re talking about a man who loses his brother, his health, and nearly his marriage in a pursuit of revenge that leaves him a shell of his former self.
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Gabriel Luna has already teased that Season 2 will show a "slower, older" Tommy who is trying to be a father but is haunted by the past. The time jump is a massive factor. Seeing how Luna handles the transition from the hopeful leader of Jackson to the bitter, scarred man we see later will be the ultimate test of the adaptation.
What Most People Miss About Tommy
Tommy isn't just Joel’s brother.
He’s a foil.
Joel survived by closing himself off; Tommy survived by trying to build something new. He joined the Fireflies because he wanted to "save the world." When that failed, he built Jackson. He represents the possibility of a future, whereas Joel often represented the trauma of the past.
Both Jeffrey Pierce and Gabriel Luna understood this perfectly. They didn't play him as a "tough guy." They played him as a man who is desperately trying to stay good in a world that rewards being bad.
Real-World Takeaways for Fans
If you're a fan of the performances, here is how you can dive deeper:
- Watch the Mo-Cap: Look up the "Behind the Scenes" footage of Jeffrey Pierce on the Naughty Dog sets. Seeing him act in a gray suit with dots on his face makes you appreciate the voice acting even more.
- Follow Luna’s Process: Gabriel Luna is very active on social media and often shares his training regimen and the "playlists" he uses to get into character.
- Spot the Cameos: If you haven't rewatched the HBO show, go back to the Kansas City arc and really listen to Perry (the guy Kathleen trusts). That’s the original Tommy speaking.
The transition from game to screen is usually a disaster. Here, it was a masterclass. Whether you prefer the gravelly grit of Pierce or the soulful Texan energy of Luna, the character of Tommy Miller has been left in very capable hands.
Moving forward, keep an eye on how the show handles the darker turns. The next few years of The Last of Us are going to be brutal for the Miller brothers, and honestly, we’re lucky to have actors who can handle that weight.