The Last of Us TV show is set to feature a ton of well-known moments from the video games, from Joel's cutting line about loss to Ellie and Riley messing around in a photo booth – and those scenes aren't the only aspects that have been carried over. HBO's adaptation is set to feature original Joel and Ellie voice actors Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson and, now, the latest trailer has confirmed who the latter is playing.
In the new clip, which gives us our longest look at the series yet, Johnson can be spotted at 1:33, as her character holds up a newborn baby. It seems safe to assume then, that Johnson is playing Anna, Ellie's mother, who became pregnant shortly after the outbreak and gave birth to the youngster in 2019.
Those who have played the game will know that Anna, who was a close friend of Fireflies leader Marlene, died the day after, so we're gearing up for her sequences to be tearjerkers. In the game, Marlene helped raise Ellie for a while, before sending her off to an orphanage and, later, a military boarding school.
"Nothing is more poetic than Ashley Johnson as Ellie's mother," one Twitter fan wrote about the shot, as another said: "Ashley Johnson as Ellie's mother! Emotional damage!!!"
Listen the fact that the original Ellie is giving birth to the new Ellie for the tv show means more to me than you will ever know 😭😭😭 Ashley Johnson will forever be my Ellie but damn I’m so excited for this show y’all! pic.twitter.com/CtEHkNn5MODecember 4, 2022
Ashley Johnson as Ellie’s mom in TLOU show? pic.twitter.com/5KJWn60d6rDecember 5, 2022
Ashley Johnson as Ellie’s mom??!!!! pic.twitter.com/JyD1gIXoUrDecember 3, 2022
can’t stop thinking about anna played by ashley johnson holding baby ellie with take on me playing in the background pic.twitter.com/atAoCtN1ZMDecember 3, 2022
ASHLEY JOHNSON PLAYING ELLIE'S MOM Y'ALL ARE SO SICK AND TWISTED FOR THIS I LOVE IT!!! pic.twitter.com/PSrrgo9KTlDecember 3, 2022
We don't yet know the name of who Troy Baker is playing, as his role looks significantly smaller than Johnson's, but the teaser also revealed that his character is a part of David's group, the violent, cannibalistic crew seen towards the end of the first game.
The post-apocalyptic drama is also set to star Pedro Pascal (as Joel), Bella Ramsey (as Ellie), Merle Dandridge (Marlene), Elaine Miles, Lamar Johnson, Graham Greene, Anna Torv, Murray Bartlett, Nico Parker, Keivonn Woodard, Storm Reid, Jeffrey Pierce, Gabriel Luna, and Nick Offerman.
The Last of Us is set to premiere on HBO and HBO Max in the US on January 15, and Sky and NOW in the UK the following day. While we wait, check out our guide to the most exciting new TV shows coming our way in 2022 and beyond.
