Tһe Lаst Of Us Seаson 2 Cаsts 6 New Aсtors, Inсludіng A Soрrаnos Stаr As A Gаme Cһаrасter Confіrmed For An Exраnded Role (Lіke S1's Bіll & Frаnk)

The Last of Us season 2 has officially cast six new actors, including one who will expand upon a character from the game. After the first season was released to massive acclaim in 2023, the video adaptation returns to the small screen this spring for a premiere on Sunday, April 13. It will feature the return of leads Bella Ramsay and Pedro Pascal, along with supporting performances from Gabriel Luna and Rutina Wesley. New members of The Last of Us season 2 cast include Kaitlyn Dever, Isabela Merced, and Young Mazino. The series is created by Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin.

As per Variety, six new cast members have been announced to join The Last of Us season 2 cast, including Joe Pantoliano, Alanna Ubach, Ben Ahlers, Hettienne Park, Robert John Burke, and Noah Lamanna. Pantoliano is playing Eugene, a minor character in The Last of Us: Part II who will be expanded for the TV series rendition. Burke will play a bar owner named Seth, and Lamanna will play Kat, who used to date Ellie. The Ahlers, Park, and Ubach will be Burton, Elise, and Hanrahan, respectively, who are original characters for the series. Read Druckmann and Mazin's comments below:

Mazin: The game has so many little flourishes. You find notes that have their own little story to them.

Druckmann: I get excited when I see these opportunities. I’m like, ‘Oh, I don’t know Eugene that well!’ The story we told [in the game] was somewhat superficial.

What This Means For The Last Of Us Season 2

The Last Of Us Has Branched Off From The Game Before

This is far from The Last of Us' first time expanding characters who were introduced in a smaller capacity in the source content. While Bill is a side character seen on screen in the first game, who references his partner Frank, the debut season of the HBO series decided to expand Bill and Frank's story into an entire standalone episode, "Long, Long Time." Though the episode was initially review-bombed at the time of its release, it is now regarded as one of the series' most stunning moments and earned actor Nick Offerman an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor.

Eugene plays an even smaller role in the game than Frank. In The Last of Us: Part II, the character is only seen in a photograph and is referenced in dialogue when Ellie and Dina stumble upon a lab Eugene used to grow cannabis. This will give the show's creators a chance to explore a unique character and potentially create expanded content as exciting as that in the first season. Pantoliano is a seasoned actor whose previous credits include playing a recurring role in The Sopranos, so he has what it takes to offer a great performance.

Our Take On The Last Of Us Casting News

The Last Of Us Plan Is Balancing Game Content With New Stories

The Last of Us casting news showcases the show's dual commitment to making new content while still honoring the original game. Naughty Dog's second game installment is not nearly as beloved as the first, making it strategically wise to take some departures from the original story. Mazin has said previously that he hopes to divide the second game into more than one season, so delving deeper into new characters and expanding side characters from the game will allow the TV show to do so organically and still have plenty of content to cover in The Last of Us season 3.