Since their first debut almost ten years ago, the core characters of the original The Last of Us, Ellie and Joel, have left an indelible mark on our studio, our fans, and the wider world of the franchise. So many members of the Naughty Dog team have helped bring these two to life. And it would be hard to think of these characters and their origins without Ashley Johnson and Troy Baker, the performers who brought them to life.
The HBO series just wrapped up its first season, The Last of Us Part I Now available on PlayStation 5 consoles and available for pre-purchase on PC vapor and the Epic Games Store (Available March 28, 2023), Behind the Scenes Series Building the Last of Us Next, while Neil Druckmann, co-president of Naughty Dog and executive producer of the HBO series, discussed the two actors and brought them to the show in new roles, Baker and Johnson said the roles they played would be The Last of I look back on watching it breathe new life on Us HBO. series, such as the surreal nature of stepping into new roles in television series.
Watch the video below to hear Baker, Druckmann and Johnson talk. Ellie and Joel’s relationship is at the heart of The Last of Usdive into The unforgettable opening of The Last of Ushow TLOU clickers stay scared us and how The cruel world of The Last of Us comes to life.
***Spoilers for The Last of Us games and shows follow. ***
In bringing the entirety of The Last of Us to life in a new medium, Druckmann believes that the talented team behind The Last of Us will have the performers essential to bringing these characters to life. Including, I wanted to make you proud of this adaptation.
“My biggest concern about liking the show was Naughty Dog, who has devoted so much of his life to bringing this game to life. I wanted all the people I met and connected with during my time to be proud of what they have given so much of themselves,” Druckmann explained. The equation has an amazing cast that we work with, especially Troy and Ashley, who are both on this journey. [the original game and Part II]and it was really special for them to continue this journey with us in this different medium.
Baker, who originally played Joel, will appear on the HBO series as James, a member of David’s crew, in the winter-set episode “When We Are in Need.” As Druckmann explained, this allowed Baker to enter the story at a very unique point given his experience playing Joel.
“It was interesting to put him in the winter sequence, especially the Ellie side of the story, because there’s a Joel part and an Ellie part. And Troy gets to experience the role of Joel in the game. I did,” Druckmann said. “And he’s doing a phenomenal job [as James]It’s a really subtle performance and Craig [Mazin] And I was very impressed with what he did. “
For Baker, he was grateful to have the role.
“Pardon the pun, it was fun to give me a meaty role instead of just winking at the camera, it was a challenge,” Baker said.
“And then we can now take these scenes and sets that were originally literally gray wooden boxes on a gray carpet with 64 cameras around us and set up on the soundstage. It’s about seeing it being meticulously built from the ground up,” Baker continued. “If I could go back to being the person who entered the production room” [for the original The Last of Us] “Hey, you’re not going to believe this, but tell me what this will look like 10 years from now.
Druckmann, on the other hand, disagreed with his peers on who should play Ellie’s mother Anna, given Johnson’s importance in playing Ellie in both The Last of Us Part I and Part II. “There was no question” in executive producer Craig Mazin’s mind, he explained. bring to the role.
“There’s only one person who should play this role, and of course it’s Ashley Johnson… who brought Ellie to life at one point and now comes to bring Ellie to life in a very different way,” Druckmann said. “Ashley’s awesome…and hearing the voice of the Ellie you know in the game, here she gives birth to this other Ellie. There’s something so poetic and cyclical about the whole thing.” I have.”
It was important to Johnson that her performance not only impact fans, but also those new to the world of The Last of Us.
“[This franchise] It’s something we care about a lot and we don’t want to let anyone down,” Johnson said. I want those people to connect to the game, connect to these characters, connect to the story, and believe in these people, just as they came into the game.
“A lot of me was so nervous playing Ellie’s mom…[but] I wanted it to be good and believable, and I wanted people to be able to feel all the emotions in the best possible way.
For both actors, the experience allowed them to revisit the world of The Last of Us in a particularly unique way.
“I don’t think anyone would have experienced it in this way, that what was part of what they made, they adapted to something else in a similar way.” We’ve seen it evolve, play, adapt. We’ve been in it, and we’re watching it now…it’s not going to happen. It was really surreal.”
“This was Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann coming together to say, ‘How do we keep the story intact and bring the screen to life for people who aren’t gamers?'” Johnson said. Bella Ramsey’s portrayal of Ellie in the HBO series “blew me away”.
“Because if you work on something and you love it as much as we do and you care about this project as much as we do, you want it. And I want to make sure it takes it to the next level, and I want others to feel the same way.I’m just, I’m blown away,” Johnson said. I got
And Johnson echoed Baker’s sentiments about how best to encapsulate this experience for the two of them… surreal.
“‘Sur’ is perfect. Knowing we’ve been on this project for 10 years, it’s the closest word to describe that feeling,” Johnson said. If you want to watch it via the HBO series or simply reimmerse yourself in The Last of Us universe, the first season of the series is now streaming on his HBO Max. Also, The Last of Us Part I is available on his PS5, vapor and the Epic Games Store (Available March 28, 2023). For more information, see our recent article. The Last of Us Part I on PC specs and features.
