TV and movie adaptations of video games have typically been a bit of a struggle critically and commercially. (Look no further than Michael Fassbender's Assassin's Creed in 2016.) Thankfully, though, HBO's The Last of Us has helped reverse that bad reputation. Based on the Naughty Dog/Playstation series of the same name from Neil Druckmann, the series takes place in a post-apocalyptic wasteland ravaged by the Cordyceps fungus. The Last of Us drew critical acclaim (along with awards buzz) on a number of fronts, boiling down to story execution and casting, chief among them being Pedro Pascal as Joel and Bella Ramsey as Ellie. It might seem like a natural instinct to play The Last of Us video game to prepare for the role, but Pedro Pascal was actually told the opposite.
Craig Mazin Didn’t Want Pedro Pascal To Play ‘The Last of Us’ Video Game
During a video interview prior to the release of The Last of Us, Pascal confessed that while showrunner Craig Mazin asked for his leading actors not to play the game, he picked up the controller anyway. "My nephews were watching me play and eventually got tired of my inability to complete the level, so they took my controller from me," Pascal told IGN during the video interview. "But then we started shooting the show and living in the world ourselves!"
Pascal's time playing the video game did pay off, as well as the writing/direction from Mazin and Druckmann. Not only is the visual look of the game represented throughout The Last of Us, but key moments are brought to life thanks to Pascal and Ramsey's performances. Case in point: Episode 2's "Infected" features a scene-by-scene recreation of the level where Joel and Ellie have to sneak past a number of Cordyceps-infeceted Clickers in a history museum. There are scenes that Pascal pulls off with such nuance that would have been near impossible to navigate if he didn't play the video game.
Pedro Pascal Captures Joel's Inner Struggle on 'The Last of Us' Perfectly
It's not enough for Pedro Pascal to simply mimic the movements that Troy Baker originally brought to the role of Joel. He also manages to capture Joel's character, both in a physical sense as well as a mental one. There are plenty of times when Pascal bears more than a passing physical resemblance to Joel from the games, due to his graying hair and gruff demeanor. But there are also the quieter moments, where his facial expressions and his movement paint a picture. One of the biggest examples comes from the episode "Kin", where Joel finally reunites with his younger brother Tommy (Gabriel Luna). Joel breaks down in tears as he begs Tommy to take over watching Ellie in his stead, as he feels he can't do it anymore. Pascal's voice choked with sobs, will melt even the iciest of hearts, as will the devastated look on his face.
The Season 1 finale "Look for the Light" features a similarly tense emotional showdown between Joel and Marlene (Merle Dandridge), the leader of the revolutionary group known as the Fireflies. Marlene is willing to sacrifice Ellie in order to save humanity, but Joel isn't and coldly guns her down despite her pleas. It's a moment ripe with emotional weight, both in the game and the series. Pascal touched on this in a behind-the-scenes featurette, saying "What would make one choose one thing over the survival of humanity, essentially? He finds himself incapable of losing again." Even though Pascal broke the rule his showrunners set out for him, it turned out for the best. Playing the game allowed him to have a better understanding of Joel and deliver a specific and emotional performance.
