The official premiere of HBO’s The Last of Us is days away, and early reviews promise a thrilling introduction to the series.
Fans are already buzzing about what looks to be stellar performances from Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey as Joel and Ellie, and the actors themselves seem just as enthused. Ramsey’s efforts to encapsulate Ellie even saw her injure herself a few times, and Pascal is shrugging off any claims about the similarities between Joel and the Mandalorian, who—despite a few parallels—persist as starkly different characters.
Early trailers for the show are enticing new fans into the fold as well, and they have questions about the source material. Shots of Joel with his young daughter Sarah are sparking confusion, among the uninformed, as they wonder why his child has such a bare presence in the series.
Why isn’t Sarah in the main Last of Us story?
Most of the trailers for HBO’s adaptation lean on scenes of Ellie and Joel traversing their perilous path through the zombie-infested U.S., but a few share glimpses of Joel’s daughter, Sarah. This is prompting newcomers to wonder after the vital The Last of Us character, and fans of the games have some bad news to share.
Bella Ramsey stabbed herself trying to learn a knife trick
Ellie Williams is a rough and tumble character, one whose personality—and skill set—were largely shaped by the brutal world she grew up in. Bella Ramsey doesn’t boast the same difficult upbringing, and thus likewise possesses few of the skills Ellie shows off across The Last of Us games. It took some practice for her to learn a nifty knife trick for inclusion in the show, and the actress stabbed herself several times in the process.
Pedro Pascal is down to be typecast
Pedro Pascal is now heading two massive franchises, between his work on The Mandalorian and The Last of Us. In both series, he plays a grouchy, hardened warrior tasked with transporting a vital child across a dangerous expanse, and some people are pointing out similarities between the characters. Pascal doesn’t mind the idea of being typecast, but he is quick to point out the many differences between Joel and Din. They might have similar quests, but the two men are starkly different at their core.