The Boys' Jensen Ackles revealed how badly he wanted to play Joel in HBO's upcoming adaptation of the popular video game, The Last of Us.
A video posted to Twitter by @TheLastofUsTV showed the actor appearing at a fan event for Supernatural. Ackles told the audience that he was "pushing hard" to get selected for the role of Joel, which ultimately went to The Mandalorian star Pedro Pascal. "I don't think I was really in the mix or even had a shot at it," he said and added that, while he failed to secure that particular role, he is "about to head to LA to shoot a whole day for a new game that's coming out as a character." He noted that, while he "can't say what it is just yet," fans will "find out soon enough."
The Last of Us is set to hit HBO and HBO Max on Jan. 15, 2023 with Pascal in the lead role as Joel Miller and Bella Ramsey as Ellie Williams. While it will adapt the original Naughty Dog video game, series co-creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann revealed that HBO's The Last of Us will have some major differences from its source material. "And we promise, there will be surprises along the way," Mazin said. "If you've played the game, I promise you there are things that you don't know that are coming that will blow your mind."
HBO's The Last of Us Will Differ From the Original Game
Druckman, who created the original Last of Us game, added, "There's stuff that was written that we didn't get a chance to put in the game that is in the show. So, you'll get to see an enrichment of these characters...It's interesting, we've now talked to people who have watched the entire season and went back and played the game, and they said the game is now richer having watched the show."
Additionally, the actors were encouraged not to play The Last of Us video game before heading to set. In a previous interview, Ramsey recalled, "After my first audition, they asked me, 'Have you played [the game]?' And I said 'nope,' and they said, 'Keep it that way.'" While she initially intended to play the game after production on the series was complete, the actor admitted that "now I'm not so sure." Ramsey said, "When we'd watch gameplay of what we'd [filmed] the day before, it was strange, watching a version of what you did. I just need a really good friend to laugh at me when I walk into walls, and then I'll enjoy it."
Pascal, on the other hand, revealed that he had attempted to play The Last of Us, but was unable to finish. "It's so sad, I haven't any skill," he said. "I tried, you know. And then it was only a matter of minutes before I had to hand it over to my nephew. It really takes a specific kind of skill, and I don't have it."
The Last of Us hits HBO and HBO Max on Jan. 15, 2023.
Source: Twitter