- Jeffrey Wright joins Season 2 of The Last of Us as Isaac, a key character from the video game.
- Isaac is the leader of a militia group at war in the post-apocalyptic world, likely to interact with protagonists Joel and Ellie.
- Wright, a highly acclaimed actor, has diverse experience in film and TV, with notable roles in Westworld and Boardwalk Empire.
Production continues to heat up on the highly anticipated second season of HBO's post-apocalyptic series The Last of Us, and we now know that a familiar face will be joining the cast. Jeffrey Wright has joined the cast of Season 2 as Isaac, according to Deadline. This marks the jump from The Last of Us video game series to the live-action adaptation, as Wright voiced the character in The Last of Us Part II, the video game that Season 2 of the show will be based on.
Season 2, as with the rest of the characters, will likely adapt Isaac's storyline from the game into the continuation of the show. In the game, Isaac is the quietly powerful leader of a militia group called the Washington Liberation Front. This group sought liberty but instead has become mired in an endless war against a surprisingly resourceful enemy. It is unclear exactly how Isaac will fit into the story of Season 2, but it can be assured that he will cross paths with the protagonists of the series, Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsay) at some point.
The first season of the show followed Joel as he attempted to traverse the post-apocalyptic United States with Ellie, a 14-year-old girl who is immune to the Cordyceps fungus that has caused society to collapse. Season 2 will continue the duo's story, alongside Season 1 characters such as Gabriel Luna, who portrays Joel's brother Tommy. New characters, adapted from The Last of Us Part II, include soldier Abby (Kaitlyn Dever), Ellie's love interest Dina (Isabela Merced), and Catherine O'Hara in an undisclosed role.
Wright is a Highly Acclaimed Actor
Beyond voicing Isaac in The Last of Us Part II, Wright has made a name for himself as one of the most versatile actors of his generation. As a character actor, Wright has become known for roles in films such as The French Dispatch, Asteroid City, The Hunger Games franchise, The Batman, and a trio of James Bond films. His role in the series Boardwalk Empire also earned him critical acclaim, but it was his starring turn in the show Westworld that cemented him as a leading man. He portrayed the Wild West amusement programmer Bernard Lowe for all four seasons of the show and garnered three Primetime Emmy nominations. He most recently received further acclaim for his starring role in American Fiction, portraying a professor trying to come to terms with America's racial disparities. The role earned Wright an Acadamy Award nomination for Best Actor. He has also been cast in Spike Lee's upcoming remake of the Japanese film High and Low alongside Denzel Washington.
