The Last Of Us Season 2’s Jackson Community & Love Triangle Explained By Stars: “They Have This Underlying Craving To Be Reckless”

The Last of Us season 2 brings game developer Naughty Dog’s bigger, bolder, and more controversial follow-up to The Last of Us to live-action. Brought to the screen by Chernobyl creator Craig Mazin and The Last of Us game director Neil Druckmann, The Last of Us season 2 charts the fallout from Joel’s decision at the end of the first season. Featuring old characters with new goals and new characters sporting old vendettas alike, The Last of Us season 2 is set to upend people’s expectations with a more complicated and emotional story than the first.

ScreenRant’s The Last of Us season 2 review calls the season Ellie’s story, but the characters around her are hugely important players. Joel’s brother Tommy (Gabriel Luna) is an important driver of the story this time around, as is his wife Maria (Rutina Wesley). Ellie’s immediate social circle is composed in part of Dina (Isabela Merced) and Jesse (Young Mazino), who are also key to her journey in the second season.

ScreenRant’s Ash Crossan interviewed The Last of Us season 2 cast members Rutina Wesley, Gabriel Luna, Isabela Merced, and Young Mazino about their work on the season. Wesley and Luna discussed building and exploring their on-screen dynamic as wife and husband, and Merced and Mazino revealed whether or not they played the game in advance of getting their roles. Plus, Wesley and Luna share their love for fellow castmate Catherine O’Hara.

The Last Of Us Season 2's Ellie, Dina & Jesse Love Triangle Explained By Isabela Merced & Young Mazino

“We Definitely Implemented Our Own Chemistry”

Isabela Merced and Young Mazino both familiarized themselves with the story of The Last of Us as soon as they knew they were auditioning for their respective roles. “I played that game as soon as I found out it was a potential meeting,” Merced said. Mazino admitted he did the same, but revealed that fact got an unexpected reaction from showrunner Craig Mazin: “I went straight to GameStop, got a PS4, played the game, got into the meeting and told them I played the game, and Craig was like, ‘I wish you didn’t play the game.’”

But playing the game gave Merced and Mazino backstory for their characters, and their characters’ backstory with Ellie, without making them feel too constrained. Merced reflected on that, especially in terms of the Dina/Jesse relationship: “I think we definitely implemented our own chemistry and our own vibe we bring to the function. [Jesse’s] super chill, super go-with-the-flow, and I’m super chasing the next dopamine hit. [We’re] opposites, but I think we also balance each other out really well.”

“I saw Dina as this ray of sunshine in this very dark and gloomy place,” Mazino added, “and I think that’s what Ellie and Jesse are drawn to. I think the shared trait amongst us three is that we are all outsiders that have found refuge in this community.” The star also touched on Jesse’s series role in that dynamic, saying “I think it’s impressed upon [Jesse] that maybe he has to take over the town one day and be the next leader [for] the younger people, and that kind of forces him to step up to that plate.”

On the Dina and Ellie side of things, Merced had the following to say: “I think Dina was raised to have a clear line in her boundaries and morals and values, and for that reason, I think she and Ellie have a lot in common. Also, I think maybe they've been faced with a lot of responsibility at an early age, so they also have this underlying craving to be reckless and just have a good time. The world [has] imposed so much stress upon them, so they like to just f**k around, escape, and kill clickers for fun.”

Source: ScreenRant Plus

Merced Reflects On Dina & Joel’s Surprising Relationship

“There [Are] A Lot Of Creative Liberties They Took”

The Last of Us season 2 premiere showed a relationship between Dina and Joel that was unfamiliar to fans of the Naughty Dog games. “Yeah, there [are] a lot of creative liberties they took,” said Merced, “with, obviously, Neil’s consent, because they wanted everything to be more well-rounded. If [Dina is] Ellie's best friend, they would've interacted, so this is an opportunity to see how.”

Merced continued: “I think they have a very light, warm relationship where he's like the fun uncle. She can confide in him, and he can confide in her, but mostly where they really connect is [with] their love for Ellie that they both have and share. And when we see [Dina[, she's sort of noticing this rift between them and trying to mend that.”

Rutina Wesley & Gabriel Luna Explain Maria & Tommy’s Parenthood & New Dynamic

“Maria Is Softer In A Very Motherly Way”

The Last of Us season 2 picks up five years after the events of the first season, complete with big changes for some of the first outing’s characters. Tommy Miller and his wife Maria, for example, have welcomed a son, Benjamin, into the world. It’s been a rewarding thing to bring to life for stars Rutina Wesley and Gabriel Luna, as Wesley revealed: “I’m excited for fans to see the two of them as parents, and how they are with their child, and see how it brings them closer together.”

In terms of Wesley’s character Maria, the actor said, “the most important thing is to see how Maria is softer in a very motherly way. I think it surprises Maria herself.” Luna added that this new element also brought himself and Wesley closer together: “Our relationship as people has grown. Right off the bat, we were pretty simpatico, and I’ve grown to love her so much. I am excited to see all of that translated to the screen, and the arrival of Benjamin, the five-year-old.”

Luna also reflected on how that new dynamic has affected Tommy, saying, “I'm excited for people to see fun-loving Tommy accept these responsibilities of fatherhood and of leadership and of being a husband, and trying to be the best version of all those things.”

Source: ScreenRant Plus

Gabriel Luna Reflects On His Collaboration With Craig Mazin

“He Will Never Let Us Fail”

Gabriel Luna and Rutina Wesley had an idea of what to expect for The Last of Us season 2 thanks to their appearance in the first season. In Wesley’s words: “You’ve got to get ready. You’ve got to get your mind ready, you’ve got to stretch, [you’ve got to] get your body ready.”

“It was kind of awesome,” Wesley continued, saying, “It is very much like a family atmosphere, so it was kind of nice to come back to it. Also, all of the new people that we got fit perfectly with us, and everything was kind of great. I loved it.”

Luna very much agreed: “It was just really nice to feel the presence of family when Rutina arrived. That kind of settled me into the piece. And of course Pedro and Bella because we are the four returning cast members and we're all part of one family–the Millers. It was special to get there on day one and to realize … regardless of the success the show had, our modus operandi hasn't changed, and the culture that Craig Mazen established is still very much intact and we can feel safe in that.”

[“We can”] feel safe and bask in Craig’s glowing love that he gives us all, and his beautiful words that he gives us to speak,” Luna continued. The actor elaborated, saying, “He’s got a really kind of cuddly energy. Even when he’s grumpy and angry, it’s kind of funny … but he will get what he needs out of us. He will never let us fail. And neither will HBO or our creators, or [producer] Carolyn Strauss–we will get it right.”

Wesley & Luna Praise Their Co-Star Catherine O’Hara

“Can’t Take Your Eyes Off Of Her”

One of the more surprising pre-release announcements regarding The Last of Us season 2 was the casting of comedic legend Catherine O’Hara. It turns out she plays Gail, a therapist in Jackson, putting her in close contact with Luna and Wesley. “God, I love Catherine,” Luna said when asked who he was excited for fans to get to know. “She’s so good,” Wesley added, “you can’t take your eyes off of her.”

The actors had even more praise for the Schitt’s Creek and The Studio star, with Wesley saying, “her acting is so detailed that she touches every single thing that you could possibly touch in one line and makes it seem seamless and flawless. She textures everything in such a great way. She's been one of my favorites for a long time.”

“[There’s] so much mischief in the way she works,” said Luna, “and so that's where I guess the comedy helps to facilitate what she needs to do in this dramatic arena.”