Voice actors Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson — who played Ellie and Joel in “The Last of Us” — are joining HBO’s adaptation of the acclaimed Naughty Dog video game of the same name as different characters, co-creator, executive producer, writer and director Neil Druckmann said Thursday.
Johnson and Baker join previously announced cast members Bella Ramsey, Pedro Pascal, Gabriel Luna, Merle Dandridge, Nico Parker, Murray Bartlett, Nick Offerman, Jeffrey Pierce, Storm Reid and Anna Torv.
“The Last of Us” — also co-created, executive produced, written and directed by Craig Mazin — centers on Joel (Pascal), a hardened apocalypse survivor who attempts to smuggle a 14-year-old Ellie (Ramsey) out of an oppressive quarantine area two decades after modern civilization has collapsed. What begins as a simple mission transforms into a larger struggle for survival. The show is expected to premiere in 2023.
Druckmann, who is also the co-president of Naughty Dog, also released a new image from the forthcoming drama featuring Pascal and Ramsey.
Along with Druckmann and Mazin, Carolyn Strauss, Evan Wells, Asad Qizilbash, Carter Swan and Rose Lam serve as executive producers. The 10-episode series will be directed by Kantemir Balagov, Jasmila Žbanić, Ali Abbasi, Peter Hoar, Jeremy Webb and Liza Johnson are directors. “The Last of Us” is a co-production with Sony Pictures Television, PlayStation Productions, Word Games, The Mighty Mint and Naughty Dog.
Johnson is repped by Innovative Artists and Anonymous Content, while Baker is represented by DPN Talent.
