Every Confirmed Actor And Their Character In The Last Of Us HBO Series

The Last of Us, one of the most popular games of our time, is now a TV series by HBO on Max, on its way to conquer non-gamers just as it conquered us. The first season allowed us to relive this post-apocalyptic tragedy that is Part 1 and its DLC Left Behind, showing us the classic story-telling that Naughty Dog is famous for. And now, season two and beyond will tackle the tragic and divisive events of Part 2.

Let’s look at all major and minor roles from the first season and get to know a little more about the actors who brought life to the game’s amazing characters, as well as the original characters made for the show.

Updated April 23, 2025, by Lucas Olah: Part 2 is here. The Last of Us, like its video game counterpart, was a huge success, meaning the game’s sequel is now the focus of the adaptation. As we get to re-experience this tale of hatred, more characters will appear, as Part 2 expands the world of The Last of Us significantly. Thus, we’ll start talking about the characters that were introduced in Part 1 and move on to the new additions from season two.

Pedro Pascal

As Joel Miller

Between Din Djarin from The Mandalorian, Joel Miller here, and even Fantastic Four’s Reed Richards, Pedro Pascal is becoming the ultimate dad in media. As one of the best dads in games, we have him portray this very serious and hard man, though he can be quite funny and goofy in real life. Still, he’s a very solid casting choice.

The series also excels at showing us a more human side of him, making the experience fresh, even for those who knew everything that would happen.

Bella Ramsey

As Ellie Williams

Our other protagonist and one of the most badass people in the series, Bella Ramsey, is responsible for bringing Ellie to life on the show. Her badassery was never in doubt, given her portrayal of Lyanna Mormont in Game of Thrones. Ashley Johnson, who plays Ellie in the games, even helped pick Bella for the role, making sure that whoever got the part knew what they were doing.

And the mission was a success. Bella performed admirably, giving us a powerful performance that is definitely worth some awards. She steals every scene she is in and does an excellent job of being both silly and nonchalant with the dangers of this world (as expected from someone born in it) and the pure hatred that hides inside of her.

Nico Parker

As Sarah Miller

Our other beloved girl, one that sadly doesn’t stay around for too long, is played by Nico Parker. She’s relatively new in the movie business, with her most famous role being Milly Farrier, from the live-action Dumbo movie – though she’s part of the live-action remake of How To Drain Your Dragon.

With the little time she has on screen, she successfully manages to captivate and make a strong impression on the audience. Her story is what starts everything for Joel, and the father-and-daughter relationship they have was beautifully portrayed.

Gabriel Luna

As Tommy Miller

Joel’s younger brother got a wonderful actor for himself. Gabriel Luna has quite the filmography to back him up, but for us here from geek culture, he’s famous for portraying none other than Ghost Rider in Marvel’s Agents of Shield.

Tommy and Joel have a somewhat complicated yet beautiful relationship, and their interactions together are one of the TV series highlights. Tommy also got more depth added to him, making him feel more like himself rather than simply Joel’s little brother, with season two even expanding that further.

Nick Offerman And Murray Bartlett

As Bill And Frank

Yet another perfect casting choice, we have Nick Offerman as our grumpy friend from Lincoln, a town he pretty much controls and keeps all infected there in check. Another reason why this is perfect is Offerman’s most famous role, Ron Swanson in Parks and Recreation, would react exactly like this in case of a zombie apocalypse. As for Frank, he’s portrayed by Murray Bartlett, famous for his role in The White Lotus, and he even appears in the Iron Fist series.

Though their stories are the least faithful part of the series, they are also one of its best parts. The show dives deep into their relationship, something the game didn’t do. Frank, in fact, only appears as a corpse in the game, which is why there isn’t even a proper image of him to display here.

Merle Dandridge

As Marlene

Queen Firefly, the head of the rebellion and the one that entrusted us to escort Ellie to the Fireflies in a different part of the city, thus leading to a different part of the country altogether.

Not only does Merle Dandridge bring Marlene to life in the series, but she is also the same actress who played Marlene in the games, so we know that she knows how to play the character. Sadly, the singing alternate ending from the game wasn’t adapted, but it was for the best.

Lamar Johnson And Keivonn Woodard

As Henry And Sam Burrell

Lamar Johnson and Keivonn Woodard are Henry and Sam, the other dynamic duo from the game, who help Ellie and Joel avoid dangerous hunters on their way to the Fireflies. These brothers are part of one of the most intense moments of the story, and seeing them once more is beautiful and bittersweet.

While Lamar is known for works such as Your Honor and The Hate You Give, this is one of Keivonn’s first bigger roles. And you can’t even tell that, considering how well he played his character.

Anna Torv

As Tess

Another beloved character (because, let’s face it, they’re either beloved or hated; there’s no middle ground here) is Tess, who is likely the only close friend Joel has had throughout the game. She’s strong and capable, unlike the games, where the people who follow you do nothing. To top it off, she’s amazingly well-written.

Anna Torv is the one who brings Tess to life in the series. She had a big role in the TV series Fringe, and curiously, she’s the voice behind Nariko from Heavenly Sword.

Storm Reid

As Riley Abel

Riley is a friend of Ellie who builds up as a love interest, but more than that would be spoiler territory. She doesn’t appear in the original game, but instead in a DLC that focuses on Ellie called Left Behind. Her personality shines through at every moment, making her a unique yet faithful version of Riley.

She’s portrayed by Storm Reid, who has already appeared in Euphoria and was even Bloodsport’s daughter in The Suicide Squad.

Melanie Lynskey

As Kathleen Coghlan

An original character, Kathleen, represents the people Joel and Ellie fight in Pittsburgh, though it was changed to Kansas City in the series. She is a strong leadership figure among her men and a very intimidating person who has her vendetta to go through.

Melanie Lynskey is the one responsible for giving us such a magnificent character. She’s more famous for roles in independent movies rather than blockbusters, but you’ll recognize her as Rose from Two and A Half Men. She has an enormous portfolio to back her up, with The Last of Us being another big example of her talent.

Rutina Wesley

As Maria Miller

Rutina Wesley is famous for her role in True Blood. Here, she takes the role of Maria, Tommy’s wife and one of the leaders of the Jackson community, and she does an amazing job.

While her role was small in Part 1, she becomes a bigger figure (though still a supporting character) in season two, as her community in Jackson receives more attention. Still, whether she appears during most of the episodes or a mere five seconds, her presence on screen is strong.

Scott Shepherd

As David

David is a memorable character, though not for good reasons. He shows us how people can be the true danger in a post-apocalyptic world, being even more terrifying than the infected themselves. The task of playing this demon fell to Scott Shepherd, and he got the job done.

He’s famous for his roles in Bridge of Spies and Jason Bourne and also appeared in X-Men: Dark Phoenix.

Troy Baker

As James

James is David’s right hand, helping him out in whatever way he can. To be fair, he isn’t a major character, though he does get a lot of focus when he appears. Still, his participation is worth mentioning because he is portrayed by none other than Troy Baker, the legendary voice actor who portrays Joel in the games.

Curiously, this role is also Troy’s debut in non-voice acting. May he appear in more movies and series after this one. If he wants to, of course.

Ashley Johnson

As Anna Williams

Another not-so-big role but still worth mentioning is Anna Williams, Ellie’s mother, who appears in an original segment of the series, as the character herself hasn’t appeared in the games. The fun detail here is that she’s portrayed by the one and only Ashley Johnson, who plays Ellie in the games.

Having the original Ellie portraying the character’s mother was truly a genius move, making a beautiful homage to Ashley. She’s also famous for playing Pike from Vox Machina and has even made a quick appearance in the original Avengers movie.

Darren Dolynski

As Jerry Anderson

Though this role in Part 1 is also minor, it’s worth mentioning since his part is a trigger for a lot of things to come in the second game and, thus, the second season. Darren Dolynski is simply credited as Surgeon, but this man is none other than Jerry Anderson from the games.

His participation is what brings us Abby Anderson, a major character in Part 2, and he’s the key to how Abby, Joel, and Ellie’s relationship throughout the story develops.

Cameos

Video Game’s Tommy And Abby

Though we have tackled some major special appearances already, it would be unfair to not mention these two. During the detour in Kansas City, we see a character named Perry, who you may remember for his incredible beard. After that, we see a few nurses when visiting Salt Lake City.

What’s fun about these two is that they’re also voice actors from the games. Perry is Jeffrey Pierce, who played Tommy in the games. As for the unnamed nurse, she’s played by Laura Bailey, who plays the aforementioned Abby in the second game.

What follows are roles for season 2 of the television series.

Kaitlyn Dever

As Abigail Anderson

Abby is probably the most controversial character in the series, for many reasons we won’t address as it’ll get into spoilers. Still, she’s a key character in The Last of Us Part 2, which gives a lot of responsibility to whoever got the role. Enter Kaitlyn Dever.

Kaitlyn has been acting since she was a child, making her quite a professional in the business. She’s known for her roles in An American Girl: Chrissa Stands Strong, Unbelievable, and Justified, among others.

Spencer Lord

As Owen Moore

From Family Law, The Good Doctor (though just one episode), and Heartland, among others, we have Spencer Lord joining the cast of The Last of Us as Owen, one of Abby’s friends who helped her out during her mission.

While Spencer doesn’t have an extensive repertoire, his work really highlights him as a fantastic actor, making his presence here extremely welcome, and Owen is an intriguing character due to all the drama involving him.

Ariela Barer

As Mel

Another ‘Wolf’ from Washington, Mel, is also part of Abby’s main group, and the dynamics between the two of them are also a big chunk of the drama that revolves around the group. Ariela Barer is the one who’ll bring Mel to life outside the game.

She’s had roles in well-received movies and series, such as Oddities and Atypical, and she was even part of Marvel through the show Runaways.

Tati Gabrielle

As Nora Harris

Tati Gabrielle portrays Nora as another member of the Washington Liberation Front – The Wolves – who joins Abby on her mission. Her character doesn’t appear much in the game, but the series is a good opportunity to give her original scenes.

She’s been in series like The 100, The Owl House, You, and Kaleidoscope. Her relationship with Naughty Dog doesn’t end here, though, as she’s also Jordan, the main character of Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet.