John Goodman is heading into the brutal world of The Last of Us, and he’s bringing some familiar faces from the video games with him with Ian Alexander and Laura Bailey (The Legend of Vox Machina) joining the cast of Season 3.
Alexander and Bailey already have some history with this world. Alexander voiced Lev in The Last of Us: Part II, while Bailey delivered the performance behind Abby. In the HBO series, those roles are played by Kyriana Kratter and Kaitlyn Dever, respectively.
This time around, Alexander and Bailey are getting entirely different characters. Goodman will play Joey, while Alexander takes on the role of Paco.
The pair are described as a friendly duo who call themselves the “Heroes of the Highway.” Bailey will play Elizabeth, one of the leaders of the Seraphites, the religious faction that becomes a major part of the story in The Last of Us: Part II.
Bringing game actors back in new or returning roles has become something of a tradition for the HBO series. Merle Dandridge reprised her role as Fireflies leader Marlene, while Jeffrey Wright returned as WLF leader Isaac Dixon. Ashley Johnson, who voiced Ellie in the games, appeared in the Season 1 finale as Ellie’s mother.
The new additions join an expanding Season 3 cast that includes Li Jun Li as Miriam, a Seraphite, and Peter Sarsgaard as Amon, one of the faction’s leaders and a new character created for the series.
Jason Ritter will play WLF soldier Hanley, while Patrick Wilson has been cast as Jerry, Abby’s father. Michelle Mao and Clea DuVall are also joining the series, and Jorge Lendeborg will take over the role of Manny from Danny Ramirez, who couldn’t return because of scheduling conflicts.
Created by Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann and based on Naughty Dog’s award-winning video game, The Last of Us began 20 years after the destruction of modern civilization.
Joel, played by Pedro Pascal, was hired to smuggle 14-year-old Ellie, played by Bella Ramsey, out of an oppressive quarantine zone. That job turned into a brutal cross-country journey in which the two became dependent on each other for survival.
Season 2 jumped forward five years and delivered one of the story’s biggest events with the death of Joel. That means Pascal couldn’t physically return as Joel in the present-day storyline, although flashbacks could potentially bring him back. For now, there’s no confirmation that Pascal will appear in Season 3.
HBO hasn’t revealed official plot details for the new season, but it’s expected to shift much of the focus toward Abby Anderson and her side of the story. If the series continues following the broad direction of The Last of Us: Part II, the Seraphites will have a substantial role to play.
Season 3 could also end up being the final chapter of the HBO series. Following HBO’s 21 Emmy wins earlier this month, HBO and Max Content Chairman and CEO Casey Bloys stopped short of officially confirming that Season 3 would be the end, but said he believes “Mazin has planned it as the final season.”
Mazin, who served as executive producer and co-showrunner alongside Druckmann during the first two seasons, will serve as the sole showrunner for Season 3.
The Last of Us Season 3 is set to premiere on HBO in 2027.
