Game of Thrones actors Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal- who also star in Disney’s Star Wars spinoff The Mandalorian will play the lead roles in HBO’s adaptation of popular video game The Last of Us. They will essay the roles of Ellie and Joel in the forthcoming television drama series.
The casting was confirmed by Neil Druckmann, writer and creative director of the games on Twitter. Sharing some news articles about the casting, he wrote, “We're absolutely thrilled to have Bella join the TLoU family!” and followed it up with, “Aaaaand there’s the other half. Stoked to have Pedro aboard our show!”
We're absolutely thrilled to have Bella join the TLoU family! https://t.co/4v9TbLhcMr
— Dr. Uckmann (@Neil_Druckmann) February 11, 2021
Aaaaand there’s the other half. Stoked to have Pedro aboard our show! https://t.co/Etsjvfb2Wi
— Dr. Uckmann (@Neil_Druckmann) February 11, 2021
As reported by an international online portal, “The story takes place twenty years after modern civilization has been destroyed. Joel (Pascal), a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie (Game of Thrones‘ Bella Ramsey), a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone. What starts as a small job soon becomes a brutal, heartbreaking journey, as they both must traverse across the U.S. and depend on each other for survival. Pascal’s Joel, tormented by past trauma and failure, must trek across a pandemic-ravaged America, all the while protecting a girl who represents the last hope of humanity."
Craig Mazin, who created HBO’s acclaimed limited series Chernobyl, is penning the script and executive producing with Druckmann. Russian filmmaker Kantemir Balagov has been tapped to direct the pilot.
(Source: The Hollywood Reporter/Twitter)