Ashley Johnson Plays Ellie’s Mother on the ‘Last of Us’ Finale, but She Has a Bigger Connection to the Series

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The Last of Us finale episode has divided fans on a number of things, but there is one thing that everyone can agree on: it was nice to see Ashley Johnson make her big appearance. Fans of the original video game were excited to see the actress make a brand new mark in the series and it was certainly worth the wait, especially since it was a surprise when she was going to pop up. And while there were other fun and exciting cameos, there was nothing like seeing her back on our screens in this wild world.

Who did Ashley Johnson play?

In the video games, Ashely voiced and motion-captured Ellie throughout the entire series. For those who aren't gamers, motion capture involves putting on a suit and having your movements and facial expressions recorded that will later be used to animate using CGI or other graphic medium for movies and video games.

Which is why it was extra special that she joined the series adaptation as Ellie's mother, Anna, especially since she was the first person to bring Ellie to life in the first place.

"[She] is the true beginning of Ellie because Ashley played Ellie in the game," said showrunner Craig Mazin in the post-episode featurette. "And Ashley is spectacular here."

Did we see Anna in the games?

Not really! But we do know that she left Ellie a note behind that explained a few things as well as the special knife that Ellie carries around in both the games and the show.

With the inclusion of this scene, we also learn something new about Ellie: how she became immune. "By this point, watching the series, if you've played the game, you have a new Ellie in your mind. And I need to understand why she is immune, but I also need to understand how much she was loved," Craig said. "And there's this genetic connecting between the two Ellies that we know. And this moment connects them together."

Ashley also talked about her experience being on the show and filming the finale's big opening sequence. She revealed in the show's podcast that she instantly burst into tears when she was asked to play the role.

"There was a special level of it for me to play the mother of this character that I care so deeply about. It was the first time I've ever had to do a giving birth scene and it was an incredible day. And it shows how strong Ellie is, of where she came from, and what she had to go through," she said in the post-episode featurette. "And that even her mother had such a fight to live."

Did she get to meet Bella?

Yes, the two Ellies actually got to connect together during filming! Ashley noted that even though many actors were talked about in casting for the show, "Something didn't ever feel right until Bella."

"There is something so similar that the both of us have. And instantly, when I met Bella, there was this feeling of wanting to protect them," Ashley said in the show's podcast. "And also, the first time I met Bella, I was a little taken aback because it felt like I was meeting the real Ellie, like the character coming out of the game. Obviously, we played these parts. But it's a stranger thing. I mean, there's a little bit of it where it's like Bella kind of feels like my kid."

The two also got to hang out a bit as the show first started its promotion, including at the 2022 Game Awards.

Hopefully, this won't be last time we see Ashley on our screens as Anna. Maybe there's a Marlene and Anna spin-off in the works about their friendship? We can only hope!

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