The Last of Us is one of the biggest and most popular video game franchises developed by Naughty Dog for the PlayStation brand. The story captivated the gaming community and evoked certain emotions that inspired the game developers it is a story worth retelling in a different format for everyone else to experience. Director Neil Druckmann teamed up with Craig Mazin to bring the live-action adaptation to life with HBO and found the perfect actor to portray Joel Miller.
Troy Baker’s performance in the video game series was great. However, upon working on the live-action show and seeing Pascal’s version up close, Baker wishes he could have done things differently.
Pedro Pascal’s Performance Blew Away the Original Actor of Joel Miller in The Last of Us
Pedro Pascal as Joel Miller in The Last of Us
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It is an open secret that adapting video games to live-action is no easy feat and most of these projects are uninspiring and taint the source material rather than honoring it. However, recent projects like Fallout, Uncharted, and The Last of Us prove the curse has been lifted, and the showrunners understand what it takes to adapt these projects faithfully without butchering the source material and antagonizing the protective fan base.
Voice actors rarely get recognized and the appreciation they deserve compared to big-name Hollywood actors. Craig Mazin loved the games and ensured Troy Baker, Ashley Johnson, and every other major actor who worked on the game got a role in this adaptation which benefitted Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey immensely for having the original actors behind Joel and Ellie working on the project with them. Troy was fortunate to have a front-row seat to Pascal’s version of the iconic PlayStation mascot.
What (Pascal) proved is that this character is bigger than any one performance. Man, it’s also earned… I am inspired by Pedro’s performance as Joel. I wish that I could go back and do some things different.
Baker had a unique approach to the character given Druckmann’s directions and guidance while working on The Last of Us games. They may be playing the same character but Pascal is given enough freedom and room to breathe to avoid being a direct copy of what Baker accomplished. Mazin is a fan of the games and would not deviate from what was already established and find ways to add something new without straying too far from Naugty Dog’s version.
Pascal brought his A-game for this project and the similarities between his version and Baker’s are distinct but not too similar. Both actors have a great range of conveying certain emotions, especially in scenes where Joel is most vulnerable. People assumed Baker would develop some animosity for Pascal taking away his thunder but it was the complete opposite, Baker wishes he could take what Pascal did and inject it into his initial performances.
Pedro Pascal Made Troy Baker Wish He Could Have Done His Version Differently in The Last of Us
The showrunners had faith in Pascal’s talent and capabilities as an actor to bring Joel Miller to life in earnest without trying too hard to replicate what was already done. Baker did an exceptional job in the games and Pascal was given the same opportunity to make this role his and proves that no role truly belongs to one actor and that anyone can bring something new to the table.
HBO will release the second season which will not cover the entirety of the controversial sequel, and the story will be told across multiple seasons giving the viewers enough time to acclimate after the traumatic events that will transpire. Pascal has a lot of heavy lifting to do in the second season, especially once the show reaches a certain point.
The live-action show received universal praise from the gaming community and critics alike making it one of the most successful video game adaptations. Pascal understood the assignment in the most literal and figurative sense and realized how much this character meant to the fans and wanted to do it right.
Naughty Dog and HBO did not necessarily hire actors who look like their video game counterparts. Unfortunately, Bella Ramsey is a prime target for verbal abuse and online bullying because they do not look anything like Ellie Williams and neither does Pascal as Joel but their performance made up for it perfectly.
What are your thoughts about Pedro Pascal’s version of Joel Miller in HBO’s The Last of Us? Let us know in the comments section below!
