Since their original debut ten years ago, our protagonists Ellie and Joel have left an indelible mark on our studio, our fans, and the world of the franchise as a whole. Many members of the Naughty Dog team participated in the implementation of this duet. And it would be hard to imagine actors Ashley Johnson and Troy Baker portraying these characters and their backgrounds.
With the conclusion of the first season of the HBO series, Episode I is now available for pre-order on PlayStation 5 and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store (available March 28, 2023). Episodes: Naughty Dog HBO Co-President and Series Executive Neil Druckman discusses the two actors and reflects on the roles of Baker and Johnson, who return to the show in new roles. Experience new life, the true nature of a new TV role and more in our latest HBO series.
Watch the video below to hear from Becker, Druckman and Johnson, and check out our previous posts on how Ellie and Joel bonded at the bottom of our hearts, including a little teaser at the end. Our unforgettable discovery of how TLOU clickers continue to terrorize us and how our last brutal world came to life.
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By bringing The Last of Us to life in a new medium, Druckmann hopes that the talented team involved in this adaptation, including the actors who played the most important roles in bringing these characters to life, will be proud of our newest film. there will be talent.
“As much as I love this show, the people I worry about the most are the naughty dogs who have given so much of their lives to bring this game to life. And with that in mind, I want everyone I meet and interact with during the filming to be proud of their chosen work," said Drukman. "It's a great cast to work with, but especially Troy and Ashley, who went on that journey for [the original game and Part II] and continue that journey with us in these other mediums. It's very special."
Baker, who originally played Joel, joined the HBO series as James in the winter episode When We Need You, a member of David's team. As Druckmann explains, this allows Baker to enter the story at a very special moment given his experience as Joel.
“There's something interesting about including it in the winter sequence, especially the Ellie part of the story, because there's Joel's room and then Ellie's room. And Troy felt Joel in the game," said Druckman. “And he did a fantastic job [as James]. It's a very difficult performance, and Craig [Mazin] and I were very impressed with what he did."
As for Dabaker, he's grateful for the role, which we don't want to steal from him.
"Give me a role that has some meat, pardon the pun, instead of winking at the camera, it's fun, it's challenging," Baker said.
"And to see that stage and set, first a gray wooden box on a gray carpet, 64 cameras around us, on a soundstage that was still being built from scratch, in fine detail," Bakers continued. "If I could go back to the guy in the production office (which was our last job) and say, 'Dude, you're not going to believe this, but I'm going to tell you what it is in 10+ years. '
Meanwhile, Druckmann said, "He had no doubts about who would play Ellie's mother, Anna, who played Ellie in The Last of Us Part 1 and Part II. She is leading the role."
"There's only one person who should play that role, and of course that's Ashley Johnson ... who played Ellie in one way and now plays Ellie in a different way," Druckman said. "Ashley wonders ... and when she hears the voice of the turtle you know from the game, and here she gives birth to another turtle, there's something very poetic and cyclical about it.
For Johnson, it was important that his game resonated with fans and newcomers to The Last of Us.
"[This franchise] is something we really care about, and I didn't want to let anybody down," Johnson said. Many people who know nothing about this game will see this. I want these people to be like some people who buy into the game and these characters and the story and believe in these people.
“I was very nervous about playing Ellie's mother... [but] I wanted it to be good and believable and I wanted people to feel all the emotions in the best possible way.
For both actors, the experience allows them to visit our final world in a unique way.
"I can't think of anything else where anybody's lived that way, been a part of what they've lived through and adapted to what they've lived through, but in a different way. . . . We've seen it evolve, we've seen it play, we've seen it adapt and we've been involved in it, and now we're watching it ... it's it's just not going to happen," Baker explained. "... It's so right."
Reflecting on the film's process and story, Johnson said, "It was Craig Mazin and Neil Druckman who came together and asked, 'How do we keep the integrity of the story and bring it to the big screen for non-gamers?'" Ellie as Bella Ramsay on the HBO series She Fired Me.
I couldn't be happier because if you work on something and you love it as much as we do and you think about the project as much as we do, then you're going to want it. You want it to be good and you want to make sure it goes to the next level, you want other people to feel the same way and that's it. I was just angry," Johnson said.
Dan Johnson takes Baker's take on how best to summarize what happened to the two.
"Surreal" is perfect. Knowing that we've been a part of this project for ten years is the best word to describe it," he said. The Last of Us Part I is available for PS5 and available for pre-order on Steam and the Epic Games Store (March 28, 2023) .For more information, check out the latest PC specs and features in The Last Part I.