The actress who played Joel’s daughter Sarah in HBO’s The Last of Us doesn’t have a huge filmography yet, but she’s an up-and-coming star with a few recognizable roles. The Last of Us broke HBO viewership records and was universally praised by critics and fans alike as one of the greatest video game adaptations. Although Sarah is killed shortly after the Cordyceps outbreak, she looms large over the series as the source of Joel’s pain. A big part of what made The Last of Us such an instant hit is that Sarah was lovable and endearing from the outset, so the audience felt Joel’s grief when she died so suddenly.
The headlining stars of The Last of Us – Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, better known as Joel and Ellie, respectively – have plenty of well-known credits in their filmographies. Pascal is known for his TV-starring roles in The Mandalorian, Narcos, and The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, while Ramsey is known for her acclaimed turn in the medieval-era coming-of-age comedy Catherine Called Birdy. They both previously appeared on HBO’s airwaves with high-profile roles in the sprawling ensemble cast of Game of Thrones. But the actress who played Joel’s daughter Sarah in the first episode is less renowned (for now).
Nico Parker Plays Sarah In The Last Of Us
Sarah is played by Nico Parker in The Last of Us. Parker is the daughter of Westworld star Thandiwe Newton and Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again director Ol Parker. Like in the game, Sarah died early in The Last of Us, but the show spent much more time with her. The game begins on the night of the outbreak, but the pilot episode of the series starts in the morning and follows Sarah throughout the day as she goes to school, picks up her dad’s birthday present, and visits her neighbors. This gave Parker plenty of time to round out the character.
Parker Is Best Known For Playing Milly In Dumbo
Parker is best known for her debut film role as Milly Farrier in Disney’s live-action remake of Dumbo. Milly is the daughter of Colin Farrell’s character Holt Farrier, the elephant handler at the circus where Dumbo performs. Milly defies her old-fashioned parents to pursue scientific innovation. Like Sarah in The Last of Us, Milly is the ambitious daughter of the lead protagonist. Milly is also kind, caring, and compassionate, just like Sarah. Whereas Sarah has empathy for her elderly neighbors who just want someone to talk to and her dad who begrudgingly agrees to celebrate his own birthday, Milly has empathy for the elephants being abused at the circus.
Parker’s first on-screen acting credit was a cameo appearance in a 2017 episode of Superstore. She has since appeared alongside her mother in the minor role of Zoe in Westworld co-creator Lisa Joy’s sci-fi noir Reminiscence. She also played the daughter of Naomie Harris and Jude Law’s characters in the folk horror miniseries The Third Day, which aired on HBO like The Last of Us. After her widely praised performance in The Last of Us, much like her co-stars Pascal and Ramsey, Parker surely has a bright future as an actor.
