"Feels Strangely Brand New": Pedro Pascal On The Last of Us Season 2 & His Return As Joel

Pedro Pascal opens up about his feelings toward stepping into the shoes of Joel Miller once more for The Last of Us season 2. In 2023, Pascal took on the lead role in HBO's adaptation of Naughty Dog's beloved post-apocalyptic video game. While season 1 told the story of Joel and Ellie's (Bella Ramsey) meeting and initial journey, season 2 will adapt the events of the 2020 sequel, The Last of Us Part II.

After Pascal secured a SAG Award for his performance as Joel, the actor opened up about returning to the world of The Last of Us for season 2. As reported by Deadline, Pascal is excited to return to production and reunite with Craig Mazin, but reveals that returning to Joel stood out when compared to his other roles due to the creative forces behind the show. Check out Pascal's full response below:

Filming is going amazing. It’s sort of awe-inspiring the kind of focus and dedication that everyone has going into Season 2... It’s incredible to be back home with them and creatively and everybody, our entire crew, they’re working harder than I could even imagine, even harder than our first season which is close to impossible. It’s pretty inspiring and unbelievable and this is because of them.

Stepping into those boots again, it feels strangely brand new. I’ve never done anything like this before that has such original authorship before I ever got to it.

Joel Faces A Difficult Aftermath In The Last Of Us Season 2

Picking up where Joel and Ellie left off following the events of The Last of Us season 1's ending, season 2 is already set to tackle the major ramifications of the finale. While Joel did save Ellie's life from a fatal procedure that may not have produced the Cordyceps cure Marlene's (Merle Dandridge) group had hoped for, he'd done so by slaughtering every member of the faction at the hospital. When Ellie asked if Joel told her the truth, the smuggler had no other choice but to lie to his adoptive daughter.

With Joel and Ellie living in the Jackson commune, Joel's story in The Last of Us season 2 will explore how his decision affects the relationships of those around him, and whether he made the right choice. While he and Ellie have a familial relationship through their travels, Ellie had been determined to see her mission through after everything they'd lost, no matter the cost. As such, the truth has the potential to shatter the trust between them, leaving the pair's bond changed forever and setting them on course for a heartbreaking journey.

Though gamers are already aware of how Pascal's The Last of Us season 2 role will differ from his first season story, it is clear the actor is nevertheless eager to return. Mazin's work on season 1 was praised for both its faithfulness to the game and how it wove in original twists, and Pascal's excitement promises that season 2 will prove no different. As such, as Pascal returns to production, anticipation will only continue to build for The Last of Us' return.