Pedro Pascal wasn’t the only choice to play Joel Miller in The Last of Us, showrunner Craig Mazin has revealed.
Rumours have long been swirling that True Detective stars Matthew McConaughey and Mahershala Ali were being eyed for the titular role after the series was first announced in March 2020.
In a new Happy Sad Confused podcast interview, Mazin spilled the beans about who almost played the iconic character.
“I actually never talked to Mahershala,” he shared. “I did talk to Matthew. I wouldn’t say that it was serious, it was more of just like, ‘Hey, here’s something we can talk about.’”
Though Pascal has become a fan-favourite, Mazin shared his involvement almost didn’t pan out.
“Initially, Pedro was on our list from the start, but we were told that he was unavailable,” he revealed. “And then, as we were kinda floundering around a little bit, I got a call from his agent who said, ‘You know, he actually might be available.’”
Mazin then sent him a copy of the script, and the pair chatted the next day.
“We got on a Zoom and had what I think is the most wonderful Zoom I’ve ever had,” he said. “Just love at first sight.”
Mazin added: “I’m sure there’s a different universe where it’s another actor. And look, Matthew McConaughey is an amazing actor. I’m sure it would have been great, but it would have been different. And I like the one that we made, so what can I say?”
In the post-apocalyptic drama series based on the 2013 survival video game, protagonist Joel is a grieving father whose daughter was shot and killed by a FEDRA officer after a Cordyceps fungus takes over the world, turning people into zombies and annihilating the vast majority of Earth’s population.
Joel later winds up joining forces with Ellie (Bella Ramsey), a teenager immune to the fungus and thrust into becoming a key to the world’s survival.
As Mazin said, had McConaughey or Ali starred in the series, fans would have probably witnessed a different vibe for Joel’s character.
But it’s safe to say folks are more than pleased with Pascal’s take on the character as many fans have proudly dubbed him “the internet’s daddy,” a.k.a. an older man who’s totally swoon-worthy.
***Spoilers ahead***
In March, Mazin told GQ that the series was also nearly different in yet another way, revealing it almost had a “sadder” season finale.
“[Director Ali Abbasi] had this thought of just playing out this slightly longer, sadder version where Ellie says, ‘OK,’ and then she turns and walks away. And Joel looks after her. We see the two of them walking, not really together but apart, down towards Jackson. It lingers and then fades. There was something beautiful about it,” Mazin said.
However, Mazin said they ultimately decided that honoring the original ending would be safer, mainly for those familiar with the source material.