The Last of Us' David actor Nolan North wishes he could have played his character in the HBO show, but no one reached out: "It would've been so great to have brought him to life"

The Last of Us
(Image credit: Sony)

Though a couple of the video game's voice actors got to cross over in HBO's The Last of Us, Nolan North hasn't been one of them, at least not yet. He's sad about not having the chance, wishing he could've helped bring the despicable David to life for the small screen adaptation.

"My only regret is HBO didn't reach out and ask me to play David in the TV series," North tells Fall Damage. "I grow a fantastic beard when necessary." He laments it "would've been so great to have brought him to life," noting the presence of Joel performer Troy Baker in those scenes.

"Troy was his sidekick, and I think fans would’ve lost it for the two of us doing that together," North states. He and Baker are known to be great fans and occasional collaborators, and being on-screen together in such a capacity would’ve definitely been a moment for the franchise's fandom.

Can Nolan North Remember His Iconic Lines? - YouTube Can Nolan North Remember His Iconic Lines? - YouTube
Watch On

David is a short-lived but memorable aspect of the narrative, a cannibalistic tribal leader who captures Ellie after Joel kills one of his people. His right-hand man is James, who assists in the slaughter and torture, and they nearly get the better of Ellie before an injured Joel manages to recover and save her.

The encounter is the catalyst for a deeper dynamic in Joel and Ellie's relationship. Scott Shepherd portrays David in the show, with a menacing performance fitting of the character, while Baker is James.

North finishes by praising The Last of Us developer Naughty Dog's process. "I used to call Naughty Dog, 'Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory,'" he says. "You don't understand how it's made but it’s delicious when you get it."

12 years after The Last of Us' ambiguous ending sparked a decade of debate, creator Neil Druckmann has settled it: "Our intent was that they could have made a cure."

Anthony McGlynn
Contributing Writer

Anthony is an Irish entertainment and games journalist, now based in Glasgow. He previously served as Senior Anime Writer at Dexerto and News Editor at The Digital Fix, on top of providing work for Variety, IGN, Den of Geek, PC Gamer, and many more. Besides Studio Ghibli, horror movies, and The Muppets, he enjoys action-RPGs, heavy metal, and pro-wrestling. He interviewed Animal once, not that he won’t stop going on about it or anything.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.