The Last of Us Cast and Character Guide

The Last of Us is finally upon us and for seasoned gamers, this show is going to feel right at home for them. However, for the uninitiated, this is likely a very foreign world to you. You may have heard of The Last of Us sometime since the video game was released for PlayStation 3 in 2013 and PS4 in 2014… or because of the recent PS5 remake in 2022. It’s been around for a while and it even had a sequel in 2020, both of which received critical acclaim and were massive commercial success. It’s one of the biggest games out there, which meant it was only a matter of time before Hollywood got its paws on it.

Now, HBO is gearing up to release its live-action adaptation of the series. The Last of Us follows a 56-year-old man named Joel 20 years after a deadly infection ravaged the world. Against his own wishes, he is tasked with taking a 14-year-old girl named Ellie across the country, avoiding all kinds of dangers, as she may possess a key to saving the world. On their journey, they meet a number of endearing (and horrifying) people that shape them for the rest of their lives. It’s a pretty powerful story about humanity, love, and the effect love can have someone, both positively and negatively. We’ve gathered some posters of some of the most important characters from the show and written some bios for them to help you know who is who in the series. 

The first season will adapt the entire first game and there’s hopes from the showrunners that if a second season is greenlit, they’ll get to adapt the incredibly dense second game. As of right now, the show is being showered in praise. Reviews have hailed it as the best gaming adaptation to date and just a great show on its own merits. Only time will tell how fans react, but so far, it looks to be on track to be a true television event that will rival other prestige HBO shows like House of the Dragon.

The Last of Us airs Sundays at 9PM ET on HBO. You can keep scrolling to read more about the cast and characters of The Last of Us.

Pedro Pascal as Joel Miller

On the night of the outbreak in 2003, Joel suffered a terrible and deep loss that left him riddled with PTSD and feeling a loss of connection to the world around him. He is bitter, cynical, but also highly dangerous and knows it’s either them or him when he’s forced to fight. He’s one of the most capable people in this post-apocalyptic world, but he tries to stay out of trouble as much as possible. He now lives in a government-run quarantine zone in Boston, doing dirty jobs such as disposing of bodies while also being a black market smuggler on the side.

Much to his dismay, he’s tasked with escorting a 14-year-old girl named Ellie across the country as it’s believed she’s the key to humanity. Perhaps she can be the yin to his yang and rehabilitate him, offering him the hope and love that he truly needs to keep on surviving in this brutal world.

Bella Ramsey as Ellie Williams

Ellie Williams is a 14-year-old girl who was born long after the world was ravaged by the infected creatures. She doesn’t have a family to belong to, she is simply alone in this world. This has left her to fend for herself, turning her into a foul-mouthed teen with a rebellious attitude with little trust for anyone. However, she may also be the key to humanity’s survival. It’s revealed early on that she was bit by an infected, but she showed no signs of turning and therefore appears to be immune. On her journey across the country with Joel, she gets hints of what life was like before the world went crazy and begins to yearn for a world that can hopefully return to what it once was.

Gabriel Luna as Tommy Miller

Tommy is the brother of Joel and a Desert Storm veteran. Just like his brother, he is highly capable and has the skills needed to survive in this world. However, unlike his brother, he hasn’t lost touch with humanity. Although he’s not exactly sunshine and rainbows, he has found a way to keep going, but also at the cost of a fractured relationship with Joel. At the start of the series, Tommy is living on the other side of the country and Joel loses contact with him, prompting Joel to go searching for him before he’s eventually tasked with babysitting Ellie.

Nico Parker as Sarah Miller

Sarah Miller is Joel’s daughter. Her mother is no longer in the picture and she is left to largely take care of herself and maintain some order in the house as Joel is a bit of an unkempt wreck. However, Joel loves his daughter immensely and their relationship is the foundation of this story. 

Anna Torv as Tess Servopoulos

Tess is really Joel’s only friend… and maybe there’s even something a little more between them, but it’s clearly complicated. The two care a great deal for each other and she is all he has in this post-pandemic world. She’s got an edge to her as she is a smuggler, meaning she’s pretty tough and can handle herself when Joel isn’t around. Ultimately, Tess is the one that convinces Joel that Ellie is worth transporting across the country as Tess still has some hope for the future to balance out Joel’s pessimism. 

Nick Offerman as Bill

Prior to the apocalypse, Bill was some sort of doomsday prepper and it seems his greatest fears came to light. Thankfully, he was immensely prepared. After everyone in his town was evacuated, Bill built all kinds of traps and defenses around it to ensure no one could come in without his permission. It’s his own personal safe haven and he has everything he needs. Somewhere along the way, Joel is able to build a relationship with him that allows Joel access to Bill’s vast supply of food, weaponry, and medicine. 

Merle Dandridge as Marlene

Marlene is the leader of a radical militia group that is determined to fight back against the militant government group known as FEDRA. As the leader of the Fireflies, she orders pretty severe operations such as blowing up checkpoints and attacking FEDRA guards with guns. She is also helping lead the operation that will determine whether or not Ellie’s immunity can save humanity. Marlene was a close friend to Ellie’s mother, Anna, and has watched over Ellie for years without the teen’s knowledge. After being injured, she is unable to take Ellie across the country herself and is forced to ask for Joel’s help.

Storm Reid as Riley Abel

Riley is another teenager born after the outbreak and is Ellie’s one and only true friend. They share a lot in common such as being orphaned in this cruel world and forced to become self-sufficient. These skills and her desire to become a force for good in the world prompted her to join the Fireflies, making her yet another capable survivor in the apocalypse.