Why The Last Of Us Cast Looks So Familiar

"The Last of Us," is a dystopian series set in a world where a fungus called cordyceps has wiped out much of the population and has the ability to turn humans into deadly creatures called clickers, runners, bloaters, or simply "infected." It premiered on HBO in January 2023 and quickly became a hit with audiences and critics alike. Although the series had a built-in fan base from the start, consisting of those who'd played the video game the show is based on, viewers who were meeting Joel, Ellie, and the various terrifying monsters of their post-apocalyptic world for the first time were just as invested.

While the show's first season largely revolved around the relationship between Joel Miller and his young charge, Ellie, the cast of characters they encountered on their journeys consisted of many familiar faces. From soap stars to pop singers, film actors to sitcom vets, the cast of "The Last of Us" is varied and multitalented. Read on to learn more about why "The Last of Us" cast looks so familiar.

Pedro Pascal starred on "The Last of Us" as Joel Miller, an apocalypse survivor who lost his daughter on the first day of the cordyceps outbreak. Years later, he was tasked with escorting Ellie across the country, as she would provide a potential cure for the deadly fungus. Along the way, the two became inextricably close. Joel's surly attitude slowly melted into love and admiration for his charge, giving the show its emotional center.

Even before his role in "The Last of Us" propelled him to new levels of fame, Pascal, an Emmy-nominated actor, gained many fans due to his work in other projects. His career began in the '90s with appearances on series like "Undressed" and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." Pascal continued to work steadily, appearing in "The Good Wife" and memorably as Oberyn Martell in "Game of Thrones." He then went on to star in the hit series "Narcos," as well as "The Mandalorian."

Bella Ramsey played Ellie on "The Last of Us," an angsty teen who was orphaned in an apocalyptic world shortly after her birth. Her immunity to the cordyceps fungus made her valuable, as she presented the opportunity for humans to find the only potential cure. Ellie's relationship with Joel bloomed over the course of Season 1 and became the impetus for Ellie's dark turn, which propelled her throughout Season 2.

Ramsey, who was nominated for a slew of awards for her performance as Ellie, began her career in 2016 at the age of 11, starring as Lyanna Mormont in "Game of Thrones." She went on to appear in many other series, such as "The Worst Witch," "His Dark Materials," "Becoming Elizabeth," and "Time." She even lent her voice to the animated show "Hilda," as the titular character. Ramsey also starred in the film "Catherine Called Birdy," as well as the podcast series "Impact Winter."

Kaitlin Dever played Abby on "The Last of Us," one of the remaining members of the Fireflies who was out to avenge the death of her doctor father, a casualty of Joel's Salt Lake City massacre. Abby's drive and tactical prowess made her a force to be reckoned with, and she became Ellie's sworn enemy after murdering Joel in a shocking twist that came at the beginning of the show's second season.

Dever's career began in 2009 with an appearance in "An American Girl: Chrissa Stands Strong," alongside "Yellowjackets" star Samantha Hanratty. Dever went on to appear in films like "Bad Teacher" and "J. Edgar," and in series such as "Modern Family," "Party Down," and "Curb Your Enthusiasm," before she landed starring roles in "Justified," "Unbelievable," "Last Man Standing," and "Dopesick." Dever's film career took off as well, as she appeared in "Booksmart," "Dear Evan Hansen," "Next Goal Wins," and "Good Grief," among others.

Gabriel Luna played Tommy on "The Last of Us," Joel's younger brother who offered him shelter in the form of a fully functioning community in the wilderness of Jackson, Wyoming. Tommy was fiercely protective of his family, including his wife and young son, which made him a formidable leader in the new world. After Joel's death, Tommy sought to take on a mentor role in Ellie's life, fearful that her rage and recklessness could lead her down a dangerous path.

Luna's career began in 2005 with the film "Fall to Grace" which led to small roles in series like "Prison Break," "Touch," "NCIS: Los Angeles," and "Bernie." Luna's big break came in 2014 with a starring role in the series "Matador," followed by appearances in "True Detective," "Wicked City," and "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." Fans might recognize Luna from his work in film as well, including "Hala," "Terminator: Dark Fate," and "Eddie and Sunny."

Isabela Merced played Dina on "The Last of Us," a sassy and strong young resident of the Jackson community who became Ellie's friend and eventual love interest during the show's second season. The reveal of Dina's pregnancy while she and Ellie embarked on a journey of vengeance against Abby upped the stakes and highlighted the danger of the mission she and Ellie were on.

Merced began her career in 2013 performing under the name Isabela Moner in the film "The House that Jack Built," as well as series such as "Growing Up Fisher," and TV movies like "100 Things to Do Before High School," and "Splitting Adam." Merced is also a pop musician, who performed songs for various film soundtracks and released an EP in 2020 called "The Better Half of Me" in both English and in Spanish. The multi-talented Peruvian-American actor also appeared in films such as "Transformers: Last Knight," "Madame Web," and "Alien: Romulus."

Young Mazino played Jesse on "The Last of Us," Dina's ex-boyfriend and the father of her unborn child. Jesse was a guide and a respected leader in the Jackson community, whose moral compass and allegiance to the rules stood in stark contrast to Ellie's impulsive and vindictive nature. Jesse accompanied Tommy to Seattle in order to bring Ellie and Dina back safely, but Abby had him in her sights and shot him before he could save the girls or himself.

Mazino started his career performing under the name Christopher Kim in 2013, appearing in series such as "My Crazy Love," "New Amsterdam," "Blue Bloods," "Tommy," and "Prodigal Son." The actor also appeared in many short films, the TV movie "Drama High," and SZA's music video for her single "Snooze." Mazino is likely most recognizable to fans for his role as Paul Cho in the Emmy Award-winning Netflix series "Beef."

Rutina Wesley played Tommy's wife, Maria, on "The Last of Us," who was a lawyer before the outbreak and helped maintain order in the Jackson community as a respected authority figure. Her position in the community, as well as her love for Tommy and their young son, Ben, propelled her to do whatever it took to protect the residents of Jackson. Maria also reminded Joel that he, too, was once a refugee, and therefore opened his eyes to the importance of welcoming newcomers.

Wesley made her film debut in 2007's "How She Move," and went on to appear in series such as "Numb3rs," eventually landing a starring role in the hit HBO show, "True Blood." Wesley played Tara Thornton for seven seasons of the popular series. Wesley continued to appear in many other well-received shows, including "Hannibal," "Arrow," "The Walking Dead," and "Queen Sugar" as Nova Bordelon. The actor has also lent her voice to many different projects, including "The Cleveland Show," "Monster High," and the podcast series "Red for Revolution."

Catherine O'Hara is a veteran actor who played Gail on "The Last of Us," Joel's no-nonsense therapist who picked up on the tension between he and Ellie right away. Her compassion for Joel was tempered by her bitterness about him being the one who killed her husband, Eugene, after he had been bitten by a clicker. Despite her sarcasm and tendency to drink and get stoned during their sessions, Gail was able to (sort of) get through to Joel.

O'Hara's impressive career dates back to the '70s when she appeared in various shows including the sketch comedy series "SCTV." During the '80s and '90s, O'Hara starred in beloved films such as "Beetlejuice," "Dick Tracy," and "Home Alone." She then went on to appear in the cult classic Christopher Guest movies "Waiting for Guffman," "Best in Show," "A Mighty Wind," and "For Your Consideration." The actor has many other film and TV credits, but many fans likely recognize her as Moira Rose from the hit series "Schitt's Creek."

Jeffrey Wright played Isaac on Season 2 of "The Last of Us," the leader of the Washington Liberation Front, a group who gained control of Seattle after the government fell in the early years of the apocalypse. Isaac's brutality was on full display as he tortured members of the Scars, a rival Seattle group. Isaac was aligned with Abby, who he revealed would become his eventual successor at the end of Season 2.

Jeffrey Wright is a seasoned actor whose career dates back to the early '90s, when he made his debut in the film "Presumed Innocent." Wright went on to appear in many film and TV projects, starring as Jean Michel Basquiat in the movie "Basquiat" and appearing in the Emmy Award-winning miniseries "Angels in America." Wright continued to work steadily and landed roles in "The Hunger Games" franchise as well as the hit HBO series, "Boardwalk Empire" and "Westworld." Fans might also recognize Wright from films like "The Batman," "American Fiction," and Wes Anderson's "The French Dispatch" and "Asteroid City."

Alanna Ubach played Hanrahan in Season 2, the woman responsible for bringing Isaac into the Washington Liberation Front. Her power was evident in their first meeting, and years later, she assisted Isaac as he maintained control of the capable and militant organization. Although her scenes were brief, Ubach's appearance on "The Last of Us" had fans sure they'd seen her somewhere before.

Ubach's extensive career began with the TV movie "Just Life" in 1990, and the actor went on to appear in many projects over the ensuing decades including the films "Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit," "Clockwatchers," and "Waiting." Fans can also catch her in series like "Touched by an Angel," "Friday Night Lights," and "Hung." Ubach has lent her voice to various animated projects over the years, too, but fans more likely recognize her from her roles on "Girlfriend's Guide to Divorce," "Ted," and "Euphoria" where she played Cassie and Lexi's mom, Suze Howard.

Nick Offerman played Bill in the first season of "The Last of Us," an extreme survivalist who lived a life of solitude until meeting Frank with whom he began a decades-long romantic relationship. Bill and Frank's love story, which unfolded in a bottle episode of the series, was a beautiful and heartbreaking look at the humanity that remained after society had broken down in the wake of the cordyceps apocalypse.

Offerman, who is married to actor Megan Mullally, got his start in the '90s, appearing in series such as "ER," "Arli$$," and "The West Wing," but he is most known for his role as Ron Swanson on the wildly popular comedy series "Parks and Recreation." Aside from "Parks and Rec," Offerman has also appeared in the film "21 Jump Street" and its sequel "22 Jump Street," the miniseries "Pam and Tommy," and shows like "A League of Their Own," and "Fargo" Season 2, among many others.

Murray Bartlett portrayed Frank in Season 1 of "The Last of Us," a traveler who fell into a trap set by Bill, with whom he ended up falling in love and spending the rest of his days. Although the plotline was much different than it appeared in the video game the show is based on, the episode that featured Frank and Bill's story was a touching portrayal of a realistic relationship in a post-apocalyptic world.

Bartlett is an Australian actor whose resume dates back to the '80s with series like "The Flying Doctors" and "Home and Away." He acted steadily throughout the ensuing decade and found success in the soap opera world, appearing in "All My Children" and "Guiding Light." Bartlett also starred in various hit series including "Looking," "Tales of the City," "Physical," "The White Lotus" Season 1, as well as the TV miniseries "Welcome to Chippendales" for which he was nominated for a Primetime Emmy.

Tati Gabrielle played Nora in "The Last of Us" Season 2, one of Abby's comrades who helped stake out the Jackson community and looked on as Joel took his last breaths, making her Ellie's first target on her path for vengeance. Nora and Ellie faced off in Seattle, and although Nora had already inhaled the deadly spores of the cordyceps virus, Ellie did not let up in delivering a vicious beating.

Gabrielle began her career performing under the name Tatiana Hobson in the 2016 film "Just Jenna." She appeared in shows like "K.C. Undercover" and "The Thundermans," and her star quickly rose as she began landing roles in popular series such as "The 100," "The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina," and the TV miniseries "Kaleidoscope." The actor has appeared in the short film "At the Motel," and the movie "The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat," but many fans might recognize Gabrielle as Marienne Bellamy in the Netflix series "You."

Ariela Barer played Mel in season 2 of "The Last of Us," the medical doctor in Abby's group who witnessed Joel's murder without stepping in to help. Ellie eventually caught up to Mel with the intent to make her pay, and Mel's reveal that she was pregnant came too late, resulting in a devastating scene that had viewers and even Ellie shocked.

Barer got her start in 2008, appearing in series like "ER," "90210," "Valentine," "Weeds," and "New Girl." The actor continued to work consistently throughout the following years and landed the role of Bailey Bennett on "Atypical" in 2017. Barer went on to appear in episodes of "One Day at a Time" and "Grey's Anatomy," and starred in the children's show "Yo Gabba Gabba," as well as series like "The Runaways," "Saved by the Bell," and "Rebel," in addition to films like "Disfluency" and "How to Blow Up a Pipeline."

Lamar Johnson played Henry in "The Last of Us" Season 1, a survivor hiding out in Kansas City and protecting his deaf little brother, Sam, from the wrath of the city's leader, Kathleen. After Sam was bitten by a clicker, Henry was so devastated that he took his own life as well, which had a profound effect on Ellie and was heartbreaking for the show's viewers.

Johnson first appeared in a short called "All I Wanna Do is Just Have Some Fun" in 2003. However, his career gained steam several years later, and he began guest-starring on shows like "Covert Affairs," "Degrassi: The Next Generation," "Rookie Blue," and "Saving Hope." Johnson went on to appear in many films as well, including "Filth City," "Kings," "The Hate U Give," and "X-Men: Dark Phoenix" before landing a recurring role on the series "Your Honor," and starring in the show "The Next Step."

Merle Dandridge played Marlene in the first season of "The Last of Us," the leader of the Fireflies who was determined to find a cure for the cordyceps fungus, even if it meant sacrificing Ellie's life. Marlene nearly completed her mission, but was thwarted by Joel in the end, who shot her in an effort to save Ellie.

Dandridge's acting career began in the early '00s with appearances on many TV series, including "Angel," "NCIS," "All My Children," "Guiding Light," and "24," among others. Dandridge landed recurring roles in "Sons of Anarchy" and "Star-Crossed," and guest-starred on shows like "The Newsroom," "The Mentalist," "Drop Dead Diva," and "Suits." The actor also appeared in many episodes of "The Night Shift" and "Murphy Brown" before nabbing a starring role in the series "Greenleaf." Many fans may also recognize Dandridge from the series "Truth Be Told" or as Fire Chief Natasha Ross on "Station 19."

Fan-favorite actor Melanie Lynskey played Kathleen Coghlan, the unlikely yet ruthless leader of a people's rebellion in Kansas City whose brother was killed by Fedra. Kathleen was relentless in her search for Henry, but an uprising of the infected brought about her brutal death.

Lynskey's long career dates back to 1994, when she made her debut in the Peter Jackson film "Heavenly Creatures" alongside Kate Winslet. The New Zealand native went on to star in the cult classic films "But I'm a Cheerleader" and "Detroit Rock City." She also had a memorable role in the series "Two and a Half Men" as Rose. Lynskey has kept herself busy with projects over the years, appearing in many other films and TV shows such as "Girlboss," "Castle Rock," and "Young Sheldon." Of all her roles, fans might best recognize her for her more recent work in the miniseries "Mrs. America" and "Candy," or for her starring role as Shauna Shipman in the hit series "Yellowjackets."