One of the biggest TV cultural events of 2023 thus far has been the first season of HBO’s “The Last of Us” which pulled in both huge audience numbers and a ton of critical acclaim.
The series took place twenty years after modern civilization collapsed following a fungal outbreak. Joel and Ellie, a pair connected through the harshness of the world they live in, are forced to endure brutal circumstances on a trek across a post-pandemic America.
A big part of the show’s success was due to the show’s stars and former “Game of Thrones” alums Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, who took on the iconic roles of Joel and Ellie from the acclaimed video game and have been thrust into the spotlight for their work.
The pair are now readying for the second season, which is expected to shoot through much of next year, and are well aware of the pressures they face following up that success. Speaking to Deadline recently for a profile piece, Ramsey says she feels that the pressure is still there, but it has ‘diminished’ slightly:
“I think, in a way, it’s diminished. But also, it’s there even more so than before because it’s been so successful. So, there’s the pressure of doing it again, but better. But I think if we think about that too much, there’s nothing you can do. You just have to do it, right? There’s no way of sitting down and like, ‘Right, how do I make this better?’ You just go and do it. But because I don’t have to write or produce it, I can just turn up on the day and hope for the best.”
Pascal adds that though there’s anxiety, showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann are huge helps along with his experience on hits like “Game of Thrones,” “Narcos” and “The Mandalorian”:
“I know it’s a challenge, but one that we’ll be able to beat. It’s a little scary. Because we are going into Season 2 with the way that it’s already been received, so it has already started with a certain amount of pressure. It would actually be weird if we didn’t feel it. But, in terms of how beloved the game is, we’re in good hands.”
The first season also stars Gabriel Luna, Rutina Wesley, Nico Parker, Anna Torv, Melanie Lynskey, Murray Bartlett, Nick Offerman, and Storm Reid. It’s now available in digital stores and in HBO Max with a 4K disc set coming next month.
