You’ve seen him. The guy with the weary eyes and the Texas drawl who manages to make a post-apocalyptic commune feel like a Sunday afternoon BBQ. When HBO announced they were bringing The Last of Us to the screen, everyone was obsessing over who would play Joel and Ellie. But for the fans who really know the story, the question of the Last of Us actor playing Tommy was just as heavy.
Tommy Miller isn't just "Joel's brother." He’s the moral compass. He’s the guy who actually kept his soul while Joel was busy losing his in the Boston QZ. In the show, that weight falls on Gabriel Luna. And honestly? He’s been carrying it like a pro.
Who is the Last of Us actor playing Tommy?
If Gabriel Luna looked familiar when he first stepped onto the screen in the series premiere, there’s a good reason. He isn't exactly a newcomer to big-budget franchises. Before he was dodging Clickers in Wyoming, he was literally the Ghost Rider in Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. He also went toe-to-toe with Arnold Schwarzenegger as the Rev-9 terminator in Terminator: Dark Fate.
But Tommy is different. This isn't a "superhero" role.
Luna, a native of Austin, Texas, brings a specific kind of authenticity to the part. You can’t fake that Lone Star state energy. When he talks about the Austin suburbs in the 2003 prologue, he’s talking about his home. It makes that opening sequence—where the world ends while they’re just trying to get home from work—feel visceral.
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The Game vs. The Show: A Tale of Two Tommys
Wait, we can't talk about the Last of Us actor without mentioning the man who built the character from the ground up: Jeffrey Pierce.
Pierce didn't just provide a voice for the video games; he did the motion capture, the breathing, the subtle facial tics that made Tommy a legend in the gaming world. He was so iconic that when HBO started casting, fans wondered if he’d return. Instead, the creators brought Pierce into the show in a completely different role—Perry, the bearded, tactical right-hand man to Kathleen in the Kansas City arc.
Seeing the "original" Tommy interact with the new world, even as a different character, was a massive Easter egg for the die-hards.
Why Gabriel Luna’s Tommy hits different in 2026
We are now well into the era of The Last of Us Season 2, which premiered in April 2025. This is where things get messy for Tommy. If Season 1 was about hope and building the community of Jackson, Season 2 is about the cost of that stability.
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Luna has been vocal in interviews about how Tommy changes. In the game, Tommy’s shift from a peace-loving leader to a man consumed by a "debt" of vengeance is heartbreaking. In the show, they’ve added layers. We see him as a father now. The introduction of his son, Benjamin (a character unique to the TV series), adds a level of stakes that the game didn't have.
When you see Tommy now, he isn't just a soldier. He’s a man who has everything to lose.
Breaking down the "Tommy's Vote" controversy
One of the biggest talking points from the recent episodes was the "council vote" in Jackson. Without spoiling too much for those catching up, the show diverged slightly from the source material by showing the inner workings of the Jackson leadership.
Luna played that brilliantly. He showed us a Tommy who is torn between his duty to his wife, Maria (played by the incredible Rutina Wesley), and his bone-deep loyalty to his family. It wasn't just about "doing the right thing." It was about the impossible choice between peace and justice.
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Facts you probably missed about the Last of Us actor
It’s easy to get lost in the drama, but Gabriel Luna’s prep for the role is actually pretty intense. Here’s the reality of how he stepped into Tommy’s boots:
- He’s a musician too: Just like the brothers in the game, Luna is a skilled guitar player. That scene where Joel gives Ellie a guitar? Luna has mentioned in press tours that music was a huge part of the "vibe" on set between him and Pedro Pascal.
- The Military Background: Tommy is a veteran of Operation Desert Storm. Luna leaned into this, working on his posture and weapon handling to make sure he looked like someone who had actually seen combat, not just an actor holding a prop.
- The Brotherly Bond: Luna and Pedro Pascal spent a lot of time together off-camera to build that shorthand. You can’t fake that "I love you but I also want to punch you" energy that brothers have.
What’s next for Tommy in Season 2 and beyond?
As the series moves through the brutal events of the second game, Tommy’s role becomes darker. We’re seeing a version of the character that is physically and emotionally battered.
Honestly, the way Luna handles the transition from the "fun uncle" to the "obsessed survivor" is what is going to define his career. He’s taking a character that could have been a supporting footnote and making him the soul of the story.
If you’re watching the show in 2026, you know the stakes are at an all-time high. The "Jackson" era of the show has shifted the focus from a simple travel story to a complex political and emotional drama.
How to follow the journey
If you want to keep up with the Last of Us actor and the evolution of the series, here is what you need to do:
- Watch the "Inside the Episode" segments: HBO Max (now just Max) releases deep dives after every airing. Luna often breaks down the specific emotional beats of Tommy's choices here.
- Check out Gabriel Luna’s earlier work: If you want to see his range, watch Transpecos. It’s a 2016 thriller where he plays a Border Patrol agent. You can see the seeds of Tommy’s stoicism right there.
- Revisit the games: If the show’s pace is too slow for you, play The Last of Us Part II Remastered (which hit PC in 2025). It gives you the full blueprint of where Tommy’s head is at.
The story of Tommy Miller is far from over. Whether he's leading a patrol through the snow or making the hardest decisions of his life in a council room, Gabriel Luna has proven he was the only choice for the job. He didn't just replace the original; he expanded the legend.