The Last of Us TV show casts The Mandalorian's Pedro Pascal as Joel

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From the leading role in The Mandalorian to Joel in The Last of Us, Pascal's got a busy schedule

Pedro Pascal in Game of Thrones
(Image credit: HBO)

Pedro Pascal has been cast as Joel in HBO's The Last of Us TV show, Deadline reports. Pascal is currently starring in The Mandalorian as the titular bounty hunter, and previously played the fiery Oberyn Martell – AKA The Red Viper – from Game of Thrones.

The news of Pascal's casting in The Last of Us HBO series comes shortly after we got word that another Game of Thrones alum, Lyanna Mormont actor Bella Ramsey, had been cast as Ellie. With the two stars of the show now cast, we have a clear image of what Joel and Ellie will look like through their long and arduous journey in post-apocalyptic America.

As we reported earlier with the news of Ramsey's casting, there were rumors swirling Wednesday evening that former True Detective star Mahershala Ali had been offered the role of Joel opposite Ramsey. The Hollywood Reporter had said Ali was in consideration for the role at one point but never cemented a deal with HBO for the role.

The Last of Us TV series is bringing the acclaimed story of Ellie and Joel's complicated survival to life with the game's creative director Neil Druckmann and the creator of HBO's excellent Chernobyl series, Craig Mazin, leading the production. I wrote just a few hours ago, before we'd learned of Pascal being cast as Joel, that every new development made The Last of Us TV series even more promising, and this latest news continues that trend.

For what to watch right now, check out the best TV shows of 2020 to see if there's anything you missed, and here are the best Netflix shows available right now.

Jordan Gerblick
Jordan Gerblick
Staff Writer

After earning an English degree from ASU, I worked as a corporate copy editor while freelancing for places like SFX Magazine, Screen Rant, Game Revolution, and MMORPG on the side. I got my big break here in 2019 with a freelance news gig, and I was hired on as GamesRadar's west coast Staff Writer in 2021. That means I'm responsible for managing the site's western regional executive branch, AKA my home office, and writing about whatever horror game I'm too afraid to finish.