The Cast of ‘The Last of Us’ Is Infectious

As we prepare for the 30th Screen Actors Guild Awards, Backstage is breaking down this year’s film and television ensemble work for your consideration. For more voting guides and roundups, we’ve got you covered here.

Main Cast: Murray Bartlett, Merle Dandridge, Lamar Johnson, Gabriel Luna, Melanie Lynskey, Nick Offerman, Nico Parker, Pedro Pascal, Jeffrey Pierce, Bella Ramsey, Storm Reid, Scott Shepherd, Anna Torv, Rutina Wesley, Keivonn Woodard 
Casting by: Victoria Thomas 
Created by: Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann 
Distributed by: HBO

This critically acclaimed video-game adaptation from Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin invites viewers to ask themselves how they would fare in a world where mushroom zombies roam the land. Would you keep hope alive, give into despair, or become one of the infected yourself?

CD Victoria Thomas wisely enlisted “Game of Thrones” fan faves Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey to lead the series as grizzled loner Joel Miller and his plucky ward, Ellie Williams, respectively. It’s a well-worn trope that’s been explored in projects ranging from “Lone Wolf and Cub” and “Logan” to, well, “Game of Thrones.” But Pascal and Ramsey eschew archetypes at every turn, crafting a lively, wry pair who butt heads but eventually come to love each other.  

You might expect a series with a premise this dark to be wall-to-wall drama; but thanks to the pair’s charming performances, “The Last of Us” is shot through with glimmers of lightness. The most charming moments come when Joel allows himself to laugh at Ellie’s horrible puns or absorbs her wonder at a world she’s never had the chance to see. As with his role on Disney+’s “The Mandalorian,” Pascal plays his character as a taciturn man whose stoic exterior hides a capacity for deep devotion. (Linda Ronstadt would lift our despair in an apocalypse, too.)

While he’s shackled to the past, the 14-year-old Ellie is committed to—if not quite hopeful for—the future. Born after the outbreak, she’s never had the chance to experience pre-fallen society; she’s been raised under martial law and lived through unspeakable tragedy. But it’s all made her a resilient person who, as portrayed by Ramsey, is stunningly alive, given to childish quips and awe at the uncanny beauty of the ruined world. Yet the actor never shies away from showing the toll Ellie’s traumatic past has taken, which expresses itself in flashes of sadism and a tendency to put herself in the path of danger.

Joel and Ellie are the show’s constants; but their trek across a decimated United States offers ample opportunities for guest stars to shine. Among them are Melanie Lynskey as Kathleen Coghlan, a ruthless militia leader; she’s the epitome of a person who’s nice, but not kind. It’s a perfect role for Lynskey, who brings a similar energy to Showtime’s “Yellowjackets.” Kathleen has it out for Henry and Sam Burrell, two orphaned brothers trapped in a hopeless situation. Newcomers Lamar Johnson and Keivonn Woodard are stunning in the roles.

Though “Fringe” alum Anna Torv only appears on three episodes, she turns in an instantly classic performance as Tess, Joel’s tough-as-nails smuggling partner. The actor plays her as a scarred woman with a capacity for both viciousness and profound love. In Tess’ climactic, wordless final scene, Torv stuns without saying a single word.

The bittersweet seventh episode, “Left Behind,” offers a glimpse into Ellie’s past as she wanders through an abandoned mall with her BFF-cum-crush Riley Abel (Storm Reid). The sweet, nervous dynamic between the pair is a light in the darkness, and that’s largely down to the chemistry between the two actors.

Then there’s the standout third installment, “Long, Long Time.” Over 75 minutes of ecstasy and agony, Nick Offerman and Emmy winner Murray Bartlett give us the greatest TV romance of the year. Offerman’s turn as no-nonsense survivalist Bill asks: What if you dropped Ron Swanson into the zombie apocalypse? Though he’s determined to weather the storm alone, his resolve crumbles in the face of Bartlett’s open-hearted Frank, whose lust for life is as much a shield against death as Bill’s stockpile of weapons. As the two fall in love and build a home together, the episode offers a profound meditation on what it means to live a good life.

“The Last of Us” captures audiences’ imaginations by taking what could have been a grim action series to heart-rending places, guided by familiar stars giving their career-best work.