The first The Last of Us TV show trailer revealed a great look at HBO's video game adaptation and its various characters. Naughty Dog's best-selling video game is getting the long-awaited live-action adaptation many have been hoping for ever since the game debuted in 2013. Hailing from HBO, Chernobyl director Craig Mazin, and the game's director Neil Druckmann, expectations are incredibly high for The Last of Us live-action show. After only getting a few different looks at the series in the past, the first The Last of Us trailer provided the best look yet at the show's tone and the various video game characters, settings, and moments included.
With the widespread acclaim that The Last of Us and The Last of Us Part II received, the faithfulness to the video games is at the forefront of discussion surrounding HBO's TV series adaptation. There have already been several teases for how the show is going to differ from the source material, whether that means visiting new settings or even changing the timeline of events. The core of The Last of Us will not change, though, as the show still revolves around Joel Miller and Ellie Williams as they try to survive the apocalypse and encounter clickers. That is very much on display in the first footage from HBO's video game TV show, but they are hardly the only characters from the game that will appear.
The Last of Us show is confirmed to feature several notable characters that gamers will be familiar with. There might be some changes to their appearance and characterization based on the games, but that is not uncommon for fans of the game, thanks to the various remasters released. The Last of Us' trailer provided the first real look at many video game characters appearing in the show, revealing a glimpse at how they compare in the show and the game.
Pedro Pascal's Joel Miller
Pedro Pascal headlines The Last of Us as Joel Miller, the main protagonist of the first Last of Us video game. Joel is a survivor of the outbreak and a natural protector. He suffers a devastating loss right at the beginning of the outbreak that hardens his heart and turns Joel down a darker path. Joel's story begins to turn around when he joins the Fireflies in Boston and becomes a smuggler for the group to help people. It is not until a few years into the post-apocalyptic world that Joel encounters Ellie and his life changes once more as he leaves the Fireflies behind to try and protect the young girl. The Last of Us trailer only shows them together for a few moments, but Joel's care for Ellie is evident throughout. Since Joel is a man of few words, The Mandalorian star Pedro Pascal should be able to bring a commanding presence to him.
Bella Ramsey's Ellie Williams
Game of Thrones star Bella Ramsey plays Ellie Williams in The Last of Us show. It would be impossible for the series to tell The Last of Us' story without Ellie, as she is at the core of the plot. Ellie's importance comes from discovering that she is immune to the Cordyceps brain infection that has ravaged America. Whereas other people will be infected by breathing in the fungal infection, Ellie is entirely immune from its side effects. The discovery of her immunity makes Ellie the potential key to the Fireflies' hope of finding a cure for the outbreak and immunizing the remaining population. The Last of Us' trailer does not show much of Ellie's personality and impulsivity, but her willingness to join the fight and fearlessness is on display.
Nick Offerman's Bill
It is also confirmed that The Last of Us includes Bill, who Nick Offerman plays. Bill is a longtime ally of Joel's in the games, as he routinely aids Joel with smuggling food and supplies. He is one of the lone survivors in Lincoln, and the high volume of infected around him meant building many traps around his house. The brief look at his role provided so far showed Bill pointing a gun at Joel, who is in a hole in the ground. This seems to be one of Bill's traps for the infected and a sign he is worried Joel is infected. As a result, Bill's extreme paranoia shines through the brief look at The Last of Us. Nick Offerman's Bill casting is somewhat problematic, though, because he is meant to be gay in the games.
Storm Reid's Riley
One of Ellie's lone friends in The Last of Us is Riley, played by Storm Reid in the TV series. She is a strong and capable teenage girl who grew up in a military school run after losing both of her parents due to the outbreak. Riley is also one of Ellie's closest friends, something The Last of Us' trailer teases as they are featured riding a carousel. This directly references the games where Riley and Ellie left the quarantine zone to explore a nearby mall. Riley and Ellie care deeply about one another, as there is even a romantic part to their relationship in the games. Their trip to the mall is a vital part of Ellie's origin story, as is the lasting impact Euphoria star Storm Reid's character has on her.
Anna Torv's Tess
Another The Last of Us video game character confirmed for the TV show is Tess. Played by Anna Torv, she is Joel's trusted smuggling partner in Boston. Tess originally is part of Joel's mission to smuggle Ellie to Salt Lake City and travels with the duo for quite some time. The show has changed Tess' look slightly to give her blonde hair, but her role in the story is the same. She repeatedly appears alongside Joel and Ellie. The fear evident in Tess' face in the trailer is slightly different from her normal ruthless personality and courageousness when facing The Last of Us' clickers and other dangers. However, that could be a byproduct of how the show will show more sides of Tess' experience.
Merle Dandridge's Marlene
One of the more exciting The Last of Us video game characters returning in the TV show comes with Marlene. In a rare instance for a live-action video game adaptation, the HBO series brought back the actress who played her in the games, Merle Dandridge. Marlene is responsible for saving Ellie and Riley and setting up Joel and Tess' mission to smuggle Ellie to Salt Lake City. She is also the leader of the Fireflies and desperately wants to find a cure for the infection, even if it means sacrificing some to save many. The brief look at Marlene in the trailer for The Last of Us gives her an accurate look at what could be a pivotal moment for her and Joel.
Gabriel Luna's Tommy
Joel's brother Tommy is confirmed to appear in The Last of Us, with Gabriel Luna playing the supporting character. Tommy is with Joel when the outbreak occurs, which is the moment that the footage shows of him. Following the losses on outbreak day, Tommy works with Joel to survive but remains much more caring about others than his brother. A hint of his compassion can be seen in The Last of Us trailer as he is likely witnessing a traumatic event. He is not without his own darkness, thanks to the actions he committed to survive before joining the Fireflies, which gave him nightmares.
Nico Parker's Sarah
Another important The Last of Us video game character returning in HBO's live-action series is Sarah. She is Joel Miller's only daughter and is played by Nico Parker. Sarah is a funny and caring child in the games, but even her maturity does not prevent fear from trickling in once the outbreak begins. She is the pride of Joel's life, and he will do anything to try and keep her safe. Not much is known about how The Last of Us will change Sarah's portrayal, but even her gray shirt and bracelets seem to have been kept for the show's costume design.
Every Last Of Us Show Character Not From The Game
HBO is not sticking entirely to the source material to tell The Last of Us' story, as several characters in the series are not from the games. One of the most notable confirmed new characters is played by Yellowjackets star Melanie Lynskey. Her character is named Kathleen and is a ruthless leader of a revolutionary group in Kansas City. The Last of Us games never traveled to Kansas City, although Joel and Ellie's journey to Salt Lake City likely passes through here. The video game TV series seems to be adding Kansas City as a significant location and could use Melanie Lynskey's character as a major roadblock for them.