The Last of Us: Who plays Joel in the HBO show?

Who plays Joel in The Last of Us HBO show? The long-awaited adaptation is nearly here, but who portrays Joel in the TV show?

The Last of Us, one of the most acclaimed titles of the 2010s and a generation-defining game, is being given the prestige, big-budget television treatment on HBO.

Developed by the game’s creator and Naughty Dog co-president Neil Druckmann, alongside Chernobyl maestro Craig Mazin, it’s one of the most anticipated TV events of 2023, bringing the “best video game story ever told” to the screen.

The original game follows Joel and Ellie on a life-or-death, cross-country trip across an America ravaged by a brutal virus – so, who plays Joel in The Last of Us show?

Who plays Joel in The Last of Us?

Pedro Pascal plays Joel in The Last of Us show on HBO.

Pascal is best known for The Mandalorian, in which he plays the titular hero, portraying Oberyn Martell in Game of Thrones, as well as roles in Narcos, Wonder Woman 1984, The Equalizer 2, Narcos, and The Unbelievable Weight of Massive Talent.

In an interview with GQ, Pascal admitted having “no skill” at the game, but he found the character of Joel “so impressive” and “the whole of it such a visually impressive experience.”

“And then I got worried that I would want to imitate too much, which I think could be right in some circumstances, and then a mistake in others… there’s a very, very creative way of honoring what’s important and also preserving what is iconic to the experience of the video game, and also [to include] things that you wouldn’t necessarily expect.”

The star believes it’s “really made for the people that love it. And there’s some very intense storytelling for people who might be less familiar.”

The Last of Us will premiere on HBO on January 15. You can find out more about the show here, and check out the rest of our coverage here.