The Last of Us actor Gabriel Luna revealed how his shared roots with fellow star Pedro Pascal strengthened the bond between their sibling characters.
In an interview with CBR, Luna, who plays Tommy in the upcoming HBO adaptation of Naughty Dog's popular game, was asked whether he and Pascal spent time together prior to shooting to give more authenticity to the relationship between their characters. Tommy and Joel Miller, the latter played by Pascal, are brothers who are notably separated at the start of the game when the outbreak first hits the United States. Despite their bond being strained by the distance and time spent apart, Tommy and Joel eventually embrace in a tear-jerking reunion around the game's midway point. Thus, the actors understood the importance attached to their television rendition of said reunion.
The Live-Action Last of Us Miller Brothers
Luna shared that, while he thought it was important for him and Pascal to get to know each other quickly, COVID-19 quarantine restrictions proved to be a massive obstacle. "I was locked up in my room for two weeks before we started shooting," he said. "We didn't have the benefit of being able to get together physically as quickly as we would've wanted to."
Luckily, technology allowed the pair to communicate, which was how Luna learned about their shared roots. "It became FaceTime conversations and through our conversations, I made the discovery that he was born in Chile. He was raised in San Antonio, Texas, which is a neighboring city to Austin... So knowing that all of a sudden gave us this immediate comfort with each other," he explained. The actor then went on to say that he and Pascal already had a familiarity with the environment of The Last of Us through their upbringings in Texas, from the weather to the trees.
Based on Naughty Dog's video game of the same name, HBO's The Last of Us revolves around Joel as he smuggles teenager Ellie (Bella Ramsey) across the United States following an outbreak of a mutant Cordyceps fungus that leaves the nation in shambles. Filmed in Alberta from July 2021 to June 2022, The Last of Us marks the biggest television production in the history of Canada.
The first season will consist of nine episodes and features actors such as Merle Dandridge as Fireflies resistance leader Marlene and Anna Torv as Joel's smuggler partner Tess, alongside stars Pascal, Ramsey and Luna. The show is written by Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann, with the latter famously serving as the game's writer and director as well. Original game composer Gustavo Santaolalla also returned to work on the show's score.
The Last of Us premieres on Jan. 15 on HBO.
Source: CBR