HBO's "The Last Of Us" Casts Pedro Pascal & Bella Ramsey

HBO’s upcoming series “The Last Of Us” officially casts Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey as Joel and Ellie, respectively.

Following confirmation that one of the most acclaimed stories in gaming history — Naughty Dog’s The Last Of Us — would be adapted as an HBO TV series, many were eagerly awaiting to see the casting for protagonists Joel and Ellie. As both characters are beloved members of the PlayStation canon, brought to life by the talents of Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson, the stakes were undoubtedly high.

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The Last Of Us: Story Trailer

Yesterday, HBO and Last Of Us director Neil Druckmann confirmed that Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey were officially tapped to play Joel and Ellie respectively. Though he has since gained newfound attention for his starring role in Disney+’s fan-favorite The Mandalorian, many were first introduced to Pascal through his scene-stealing performance as Oberyn “The Red Viper” Martell on Game Of Thrones. Evidently, whoever was casting The Last Of Us must have been a Thrones fan, as Bella Ramsey is also an alumnus of the acclaimed series — she played Lady Lyanna Mormont for three seasons.

The Last Of Us casting

Rodin Eckenroth/FilmMagic / Dave J Hogan/Getty Images

Pascal took to his own Twitter page to celebrate the news, channeling the Joel spirit with one of his notable quotes. Neil Druckmann appeared particularly thrilled about the casting news, taking to his own Twitter page to share an update. “We’re absolutely thrilled to have Bella join the TLoU family!” he writes. “Aaaaand there’s the other half. Stoked to have Pedro aboard our show!” Though we have yet to receive word on an official release date, it’s safe to say that The Last Of Us is easily one of the most anticipated new series on the horizon — especially in the wake of this casting news.

Will you be tuning in? And for those who have played The Last Of Us, what do you make of this casting news?