When HBO first announced they were adapting Naughty Dog’s masterpiece, the internet basically had a collective heart attack. Fans were terrified. Who could possibly step into the worn-out boots of Joel Miller? Who could capture Ellie’s foul-mouthed, heart-shattering vulnerability? Everyone had their "perfect" fan cast. For years, people screamed for Nikolaj Coster-Waldau or Hugh Jackman. But then we got the news. Pedro Pascal. Bella Ramsey.
People were skeptical. Honestly, some were downright mean about it. But if you've actually watched the show, you know that the actor in The Last of Us isn't just playing a part; they are redefining what it means to adapt a video game. It’s not about looking exactly like a 3D model. It’s about the soul.
Pedro Pascal as Joel: More Than Just a Grumpy Dad
Pedro Pascal was already a household name because of The Mandalorian, but let’s be real: we mostly just saw his helmet. In The Last of Us, he had to show us a man who had been dead inside for twenty years.
He didn't just copy Troy Baker’s performance from the game. That would have been a mistake. Instead, Pascal brought this sort of fragile masculinity to Joel that we hadn’t really seen before. He’s physically vulnerable. In the show, Joel is deaf in one ear. He has panic attacks. He’s older. He’s tired. This choice by showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann made the character feel human rather than a video game protagonist with an infinite stamina bar.
The scene in the Jackson commune where Joel admits his fear to his brother Tommy? That’s the peak. Pascal’s voice cracks. He’s terrified that he can’t protect Ellie. It’s a far cry from the stoic, unstoppable force we control with a PlayStation controller. He made Joel a person we pity, fear, and love all at once.
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Why Bella Ramsey Was the Only Choice for Ellie
If you thought the discourse around Joel was loud, the conversation around Bella Ramsey was deafening. People fixated on physical resemblance. It was exhausting. But Ramsey, who first blew everyone away as Lyanna Mormont in Game of Thrones, proved that she has the "f-you" energy required for Ellie.
Ellie is a complicated kid. She’s grew up in a QZ. She’s seen people "turn" since she was a toddler. Ramsey captures that weird mix of childhood wonder—like when she sees the "mighty" buffalo or tries to whistle—and the haunting violence she’s capable of.
When you look at the actor in The Last of Us playing Ellie, you’re seeing someone who can flip a switch from telling a puns from a joke book to brutally defending herself in a winter wasteland. That range is rare. Ramsey didn't play Ellie as a victim. She played her as a survivor who is desperately afraid of being alone.
The Supporting Cast That Stole the Show
We can't talk about the actors without mentioning the guest stars. This show lives and dies on its episodic characters.
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- Nick Offerman and Murray Bartlett: Episode 3, "Long, Long Time," changed everything. Offerman, known for being the ultimate "man's man" Ron Swanson, played Bill with a tenderness that broke the internet. His portrayal of a survivalist who finds a reason to live through Frank (Bartlett) is arguably the best hour of television in the last decade.
- Anna Torv as Tess: She didn't get enough screen time. Period. Torv brought a weary authority to Tess that established the high stakes of the world immediately.
- Lamar Johnson and Keivonn Woodard: The brothers Henry and Sam. Woodard, who is actually Deaf, added a layer of protection and urgency to Henry’s character that wasn’t even in the original game. It made the eventual tragedy hit ten times harder.
Casting Part II: What’s Coming Next?
Now that Season 2 is on the horizon, the conversation has shifted. We’re talking about Abby. We’re talking about Jesse and Dina.
Kaitlyn Dever has been cast as Abby Anderson. This is fascinating because, ironically, Dever was a top fan pick to play Ellie years ago. Now, she’s playing the most divisive character in the franchise. The physical transformation will be one thing, but the emotional weight she has to carry is massive. Then you have Isabela Merced as Dina and Young Mazino as Jesse.
The casting directors, Victoria Thomas and Jennifer Euston, clearly aren't looking for "lookalikes." They are looking for chemistry. The bond between Pascal and Ramsey is the spine of the show. Without that, the expensive CGI clickers wouldn't matter at all.
The Controversy of "Video Game Acting" vs. "Screen Acting"
There’s a weird stigma that sometimes follows the actor in The Last of Us because the source material is "just a game." But the original actors—Troy Baker, Ashley Johnson, Merle Dandridge (who actually played Marlene in both the game and the show)—used motion capture. They did act.
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The HBO series bridges that gap. It honors the work done in the recording booths at Naughty Dog while allowing the new cast to find their own rhythm. For example, Ashley Johnson playing Ellie's mother, Anna, in the season finale was a poetic "passing of the torch" that acknowledged the history of the characters.
Misconceptions About the Casting Process
- They didn't just pick the biggest names. While Pedro Pascal is a star, he was chosen because he understood the "silent" parts of Joel.
- It wasn't about "woke" casting. It was about finding the best performers. Period.
- The actors didn't always play the games. In fact, many were told not to play them so they wouldn't just mimic the original performances. This allowed for a fresh interpretation.
The reality is that The Last of Us succeeded because it respected the audience's intelligence. It didn't treat the actors like props. It gave them room to breathe, cry, and fail.
How to Follow the Cast and Their Work
If you want to keep up with the actor in The Last of Us, you’ve got to look beyond the post-apocalypse.
- Pedro Pascal: Check out The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent for his comedic side. Or, obviously, go back and watch his run as Oberyn Martell in Game of Thrones.
- Bella Ramsey: Watch Catherine Called Birdy. It’s a total 180 from Ellie—funny, medieval, and charming.
- Kaitlyn Dever: If you want to prepare for Season 2, watch Dopesick or Unbelievable. She is one of the most powerful dramatic actors working today.
Keep an eye on official HBO press releases for Season 2 production updates. Production has moved to Vancouver to simulate the Pacific Northwest setting of the second game. Expect a grittier, more intense performance from the entire cast as the story moves into a cycle of revenge.
Next Steps for Fans:
- Watch the "Making of" Documentary: HBO Max has a "Making of The Last of Us" special that goes deep into how Pascal and Ramsey developed their bond on set.
- Listen to the Official Podcast: Hosted by Troy Baker (the original Joel) and showrunner Craig Mazin, it breaks down why certain casting choices were made for every single episode.
- Revisit the Games: If you’ve only seen the show, play The Last of Us Part I and Part II to see where the actors drew their inspiration and where they diverged.