There has been some criticism of the casting for the roles of Joel Miller and Ellie Williams in the upcoming TV show The Last of Us, but that backlash is completely mistaken. HBO's The Last of Us series is an adaptation of Naughty Dog's hugely successful horror survival video game of the same name, which has won almost every gaming award under the sun. The franchise is no stranger to controversy, however, with The Last of Us 2 being met with a passionate objection of its bold story choice early in the campaign. Now the property is facing casting criticisms involving the TV show that are just wrong.
The first season of HBO's The Last of Us show will chronicle the story of Joel and Ellie, two survivors who band together in the wake of an apocalyptic pandemic. The world has been overrun by a fungal virus that overtakes the brains of humans and turns them into bloodthirsty infected. The story follows them cross-country, through what's left of America, avoiding the threat of zombie-like victims. With Joel and Ellie's relationship being the crux of The Last of Us's story, the casting of the two characters and their on-screen chemistry in the HBO series are the linchpins to its success.
There have been some disapproving grumbles ever since HBO announced the casting of former Game of Thrones actors Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey in the lead roles of the Last of Us show. After the release of the first teaser trailer, this backlash intensified, with some of those who hold the video games close to their heart criticizing The Last of Us's casting choices. Interestingly, the trailer was met with fewer comments about how accurate the show looks compared to the games. There has also been less objection to the casting of other characters, such as Nick Offerman as Bill and Anna Torv as Tess, yet that may be a result of each of those characters playing a less pivotal role in the games and, presumably, the adaptation.
Why HBO's The Last Of Us' Casting Is Being Criticized
One of the main gripes about the casting of Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey is that the actors do not look similar enough to the characters as depicted in the games. This specific criticism appears to lean more toward Ramsey. There are also some ludicrously specific comments about how Pascal says an important line as Joel too quickly in comparison to how the character's original actor in The Last of Us, Troy Baker, spoke the dialogue in the game. While the criticism is shortsighted and damns Pascal and Ramsey before they have even been given a chance to prove their worth in the roles, it's also important to highlight why some commenters are so impassioned. Their disappointment is mostly a result of their love for the games and their wish for HBO's The Last of Us to change as little as possible. As with most adaptations, however, that is not a realistic possibility.
HBO’s Joel & Ellie Must Be Different From The Last Of Us Games
It's impossible for any character adapted for a movie or TV show to be identical to the original incarnation. While it is often the responsibility of an adaptation such as HBO's The Last of Us to remain faithful to the source material, the change in mediums, from games to TV drama must welcome change in order to excel. Neil Druckmann, the creator of the Last of Us games, has even spoken about how HBO's series will expand upon the source material in order to enhance the story of Joel and Ellie. As a result, the show's versions of Joel and Ellie will not be identical to the game's, regardless of who portrays the characters.
It's worth noting that, even with a game series as critically acclaimed as The Last of Us, changes to the source material have the potential to actually make the story better in the show. Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey's portrayals of Joel and Ellie in The Last of Us could also be improvements from the original depictions due to their ability to enact more organic performances compared to what is capable within the video game sphere. Furthermore, it's important that Pascal and Ramsey make the parts their own. They cannot merely seek to emulate the characters in the Last of Us games; they must incorporate their own nuances, which will be necessary with the additional scenes added to the story in the TV show.
Pedro Pascal & Bella Ramsey Already Proved They Can Do Joel & Ellie Justice
While some of those who have criticized the casting of Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey as Joel and Ellie have done so out of their love for the games, they should be aware of the care that both actors also have for the games. Ramsey, in particular, has spoken about her relationship to the Last of Us games and how she has encouraged Pascal to play them more. She also spoke about how the Last of Us TV show must remain faithful to the games to ensure that the existing fan base is happy with the adaptation, specifically stating that it "follows the original beats of the game," but also "brings new life" to it (via SheKnows). It's clear Ramsey and Pascal are fans of the game and are aware of the expectations. As a result, those who love the games and also criticize the casting of HBO's The Last of Us should still feel assured by the fact that the actors cast as Joel and Ellie are also fans of Joel and Ellie.