‘The Last of Us’: 9 New Characters Joining the Mix in Season 2
The Last of Us Season 2 is nearly here, and with it comes a bevy of new characters for viewers to meet and video game fans to reencounter.
While anyone who has tuned into HBO‘s hit surely knows Ellie (Bella Ramsey) and Joel (Pedro Pascal), the fresh faces joining them onscreen in this latest chapter will play pivotal roles in their stories moving forward. Among the stars joining this talented ensemble are Catherine O’Hara, Jeffrey Wright, Kaitlyn Dever, Isabela Merced, and many more.
Scroll down for a closer look at the new characters joining the mix as we break down everything you need to know about their roles, where else you’ve seen some of these performers, and much more. And stay tuned to see how their roles unfold in the latest season of The Last of Us.
The Last of Us, Season 2 Premiere, Sunday, April 13, 9/8c, HBO and Max
This is an excerpt from TV Guide Magazine’s The Last of Us: The Ultimate Survival Story special issue. For an in-depth look at the critically-acclaimed HBO series, featuring behind-the-scenes secrets and a preview of the highly anticipated second season, pick up a copy of the issue available on newsstands on April 11, or order online here.
Kaitlyn Dever as Abby
Where you’ve seen her:
In her Emmy-nominated role in Hulu‘s Dopesick, as a miner who becomes addicted to OxyContin, or as high schooler Amy in the 2019 comedy
flick Booksmart.
Who she’s playing:
A vengeful teenager with a fighting spirit who leads a small squad of survivors.
What we know so far:
“Abby is somebody who has been traumatized by a horrible loss, and we’re not exactly sure who she lost, but we can tell it’s somebody important,” exec producer Craig Mazin says of the major character, who will come into conflict with Ellie in Season 2. “There’s a very traditional way of looking at two characters in opposition. One is light and one is shadow. In our story, we continually ask, which one is which? In the most hopeful way of thinking about it, there’s a chance they could both be good.”
Spencer Lord as Owen
Where you’ve seen him:
As Nathan Pryce Jr., the latest heartthrob on TV drama Heartland.
Who he’s playing:
The moral compass of Abby’s squad of rebels.
What we know so far:
Owen is more optimistic than Abby and tries to help her find hope in the postapocalyptic world. Despite the brutality all around him, he stubbornly refuses to hate his enemy. In the game, Owen dated Abby and then Mel, of whom he’s still protective.
Danny Ramirez as Manny
Where you’ve seen him:
As the new iteration of Marvel hero Falcon, or as Fanboy in 2022 action film Top Gun: Maverick.
Who he’s playing:
A loyal soldier in the group.
What we know so far:
Manny uses a positive perspective to cover up the pain of old wounds. His greatest fear is failing his friends, whom he sees as family, when they need him the most. In the game, Manny is an expert marksman who cheers up his buddies even in the worst of times.
Tati Gabrielle as Nora
Where you’ve seen her:
As doomed artist Marienne on You and icy witch Prudence in Chilling Adventures of Sabrina on Netflix.
Who she’s playing:
A skilled military medic.
What we know so far:
Nora is struggling to accept her past wrongdoings. Her character in the game is fiercely devoted to Abby and takes huge risks to extricate her from life-or-death situations. Nora’s calm indifference to foes can be chilling.
Ariela Barer as Mel
Where you’ve seen her:
As sarcastic hero Gert in Marvel’s Runaways on Hulu.
Who she’s playing:
A young doctor.
What we know so far:
Mel’s devotion to saving lives is challenged by the realities of both conflict and her allegiance to Abby’s group. Her relationship with Owen changes both their lives in the game, where she will only kill in self-defense, and leads to a crisis with wider implications that affect Ellie.
Catherine O'Hara as Gail
Where you’ve seen her:
On TV, in SCTV , and her Emmy-winning role in Schitt’s Creek. In movies, the Home Alone films and the 1996 comedy film Waiting for Guffman, among others.
Who she’s playing:
Gail was created for the series — she doesn’t appear in the game. She works to alleviate some of the pain and distress of the people in Jackson.
What we know so far:
“If there’s one thing that everybody is dealing with in the apocalypse, it’s trauma,” says Mazin. “This was actually a character that I wrote into the first episode of Season 1, and we couldn’t fit it in. Pedro Pascal, when he saw the revisions for that script well before we started shooting, was like, ‘You took that out? That’s why I’m doing this show. I love that scene!’ ”
Isabela Merced as Dina
Where you’ve seen her:
In some of 2024’s major franchises, like Alien: Romulus and Marvel’s Madame Web.
Who she’s playing:
A free-spirited resident of Jackson who is as battle-ready as her best friend, Ellie.
What we know so far:
“Warm, brilliant, wild, funny, moral, dangerous and instantly lovable” is how Mazin and Druckmann have described Dina. She and Ellie take part in patrols outside the town perimeter, where the infected and other humans are a looming threat. “People who are invested in Ellie and Dina’s friendship and beyond, if they are familiar with that [from the game], they’re going to find some interesting changes along the way,” Mazin says. The pair’s bond will be tested.
Jeffrey Wright as Isaac
Where you’ve seen him:
The Emmy and Tony winner appeared on HBO’s popular sci-fi series Westworld as robot Bernard and received an Oscar nod for his role in the 2023 film American Fiction.
Who he’s playing:
A former Marine who leads a militia called the Western Liberation Front in his home city of Seattle.
What we know so far:
Wright returns to the role he voiced in the video game. “It was fun to go back and revisit that character but do it in the flesh — an interesting flesh to inhabit,” he says. In the game, Isaac challenges FEDRA for control of the area and guns for a war against a religious cult, the Seraphites. “We tell a little about his history, which is a little more than we see in the game,” Wright teases. “Buckle up.”
Young Mazino as Jesse
Where you’ve seen him:
In his Emmy-nominated breakout role as Paul Cho in Netflix‘s comedy-drama series Beef.
Who he’s playing:
A strong, patient, reliable fighter who is a pillar of the Jackson community.
What we know so far:
Dina’s ex-boyfriend, Jesse is a friend to both her and Ellie. He’s four years older than the women, who sometimes good-naturedly challenge his authority as leader of the patrol groups that are Jackson’s first line of protection. Jesse puts everyone’s needs before his own, sometimes paying a price for his selflessness. In the game, he says, “My friends’ problems are my problems.” Gutsy words for a guy who is close to Ellie. He gets swept into her next battle.
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