HBO's The Last of Us Season 2 is gearing up for its premiere on April 13, and the cast is expanding with six new additions, as reported by Variety. The new actors joining the show are Joe Pantoliano (known from Memento and The Matrix), Alanna Ubach (Euphoria, Bombshell), Ben Ahlers (The Gilded Age, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina), Hettienne Park (Don’t Look Up), Robert John Burke (RoboCop 3), and Noah Lamanna (Star Trek: Strange New Worlds).
These actors will bring to life both characters from the original games and new faces in the live-action adaptation of The Last of Us Part II. Notably, Joe Pantoliano will portray Eugene, a character previously known as Ellie and Dina’s pot-smoking friend from the game. In the series, Eugene's role will be expanded, giving him more screen time and a deeper backstory, much like Bill's development in Season 1.
Showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann shared with Variety their excitement about fleshing out characters like Eugene. Druckmann remarked, “I get excited when I see these opportunities. I’m like, ‘Oh, I don’t know Eugene that well!’ The story we told [in the game] was somewhat superficial. The way this character comes in really gets to the heart of Joel and Ellie and their relationship.”
Robert John Burke will take on the role of Seth, the bar owner and bigot from The Last of Us Part II, while Noah Lamanna will play Kat, Ellie's former girlfriend. Alanna Ubach, Ben Ahlers, and Hettienne Park will portray new characters named Hanrahan, Burton, and Elise Park, respectively.
These new additions join the already impressive cast, including Pedro Pascal as Joel, Bella Ramsey as Ellie, Isabela Merced as Dina, Kaitlyn Dever as Abby, and Gabriel Luna as Tommy. The showrunners have hinted that the events of Part II will be spread across multiple seasons, promising more surprises as the episodes unfold.
For more on The Last of Us Season 2, you can explore why the show might span four seasons and learn about the "pretty brutal" cut content from the original game that will be featured in the new season, as shared by Neil Druckmann.
