How Does The Cast Of "The Last Of Us" Compare To Their Video Game Characters?
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The video game adaptation we have all been waiting for has finally landed! The Last of Us aired its pilot episode on Monday, and now we're eagerly anticipating the remainder of the series.
@Naughty_dog / Via giphy.com
HBO's The Last of Us is set to retell the story of Joel and Ellie. Joel is a smuggler who is tasked with escorting a teenage girl across a post-apocalyptic United States after a disease has virtually destroyed mankind.
The Naughty Dog 2013 video game is incredibly popular, so the pressure is on for the series to get it right.
@Naughty_dog / Via giphy.com
The series has certainly been hyped up over the last few months, and there's no denying that it's got a great cast at its core. So let's do a comparison of the cast we met in the first episode vs. their video game counterparts, shall we?
I'll be updating this post as more characters are introduced in the show weekly!
Pedro Pascal takes on the role of Joel
Kicking off the main casting duo is Pedro Pascal who is no stranger to a top-rated TV series! Having starred in Game of Thrones, Narcos, and The Mandalorian, Pascal has now stepped into the shoes of the leading man, Joel.
Here's Joel in the video game
Joel is a hardened apocalypse survivor with his own troubled past whose task is to get Ellie to a quarantine zone.
And here's Joel side by side!
Verdict: I've got a good feeling about this one.
Bella Ramsey plays Ellie
You will remember Bella Ramsey as the feisty young noblewoman, Lyanna Mormont, in Game of Thrones. Now, she's starring in the HBO series as Ellie, a 14-year-old girl who is immune to the infection and could be the key to a vaccine.
Here's Ellie in the video game:
Ellie is a young girl who thinks she can survive on her own, but little does she know, just how much she'll come to rely on Joel.
And here's video game Ellie vs TV show Ellie
Verdict: If Ramsey will give as good as she gave in GOT, then we're in for a treat.
Gabriel Luna is Joel's brother, Tommy:
Gabriel Luna is known for playing Ghost Rider in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and REV-9 in Terminator: Dark Fate. Luna plays Tommy in The Last of Us TV adaptation and looks a little different from his video game counterpart.
Here's Tommy in the video game:
Tommy is Joel's younger brother, a former soldier, and someone who wants to do more than just survive in the post-apocalyptic world.
And here's what both Tommy's look like:
Verdict: HBO's Tommy may be a bit more clean-cut as opposed to rough and ready in the first episode, but I'm excited to see whether this will change over time, along with the level of depth Luna will bring to the character.
Anna Torv stars as Tess
Anna Torv starred in 100 episodes of the sci-fi mystery Fringe from 2008–2013, and more recently as Dr. Wendy Carr in Netflix's Mindhunter. Now, for The Last of Us, she heads up the role of Anna Torv.
This is Tess in the video game:
Tess is another hardened survivor and Joel's smuggler partner. The show ramps the two up as romantic interests compared to the game.
And here are the two ladies side by side:
The casting may not be a complete match physically (noticeably the more toned-down hair color) but I think Torv's acting skills will embody the fierce, albeit calm demeanor that Tess carries.
Merle Dandridge is Marlene:
Merle Dandridge has been in her fair share of TV shows from Station 19 to Truth Be Told, but hardcore fans will also know that she did in fact play Marlene in both The Last of Us video games. So, you know, you could say she is a true OG.
Here's the video game version of Marlene:
Marlene is head of the Fireflies, the resistance movement that aims to gain freedom from the military setup that people are forced to live under. She's also the reason why Joel gets the mission of transporting Ellie!
And this is Marlene's video character against her live-action self:
Verdict: Well, we know the match is spot on! Plus, given that Dandridge is revisiting the character, I've got especially high hopes for watching her act out more of the live-action version of Marlene. Bring it on!
Nico Parker is Joel's daughter, Sarah:
Nico Parker (daughter of Thandiwe Newton and Ol Parker, FYI) made her on-screen debut in the 2019 adaptation of Dumbo. Now, look at her, as Sarah, Joel's daughter.
Here's what Sarah looks like in the video game:
It has to be said that Sarah is definitely in one of the most important scenes in both the film and game. Saying that, I'm still not over the sequence of events, so let's not mention it, okay?
And this is Sarah's character side by side:
Verdict: Sure, there's a stark difference between how the characters look, but Parker's performance in the pilot went above and beyond capturing the emotion behind THAT scene. I'm a huge fan!
Who's your favourite casting for The Last of Us so far? Let me know in the comments!
