Its debut season captured our imaginations and garnered ecstatic reviews – and now The Last Of Us fans, who have spent over a year waiting, will finally find out what happens next for lead characters Joel and Ellie.
Original followers, who know the story from the 2013 video game, might think they’re already clued into what’s coming up, but star Bella Ramsey insists this new instalment of the hit Neon series is not what people might expect.
“There’s always pressure that comes with making a second season better than the first,” says Bella, 21, who identifies as nonbinary. “It’s a little bit scary. This is definitely more epic and brilliant than the first. Fans will have big feelings about what goes down.”
Since the first season, Ellie, a teen who’s mysteriously immune to the fungal infection that turns humans into zombies, and smuggler Joel, played by Pedro Pascal, have left rebel militia group the Fireflies, with Joel lying to Ellie about why they couldn’t stay.
Fans will recall that the Fireflies, who are seeking a cure for the infection, planned to let Ellie die so they could examine her brain.
Now, five years on, Joel and Ellie are living as part of a group of survivors in Jackson, Wyoming. However, the lies have put a strain on their friendship and they’re forced to re-evaluate who they can trust.
“Their relationship has shifted this season and it wasn’t nice acting that coldness with Pedro,” admits Bella. “In real life, we’re warm and tactile, so it felt odd to be estranged from him. We had to not like each other for a bit. It wasn’t a nice feeling.
“Ellie’s become hardened since we saw her at the end of season one. She definitely has more of a cage around her heart. She’s older – she’s 19, not 14. She’s establishing herself as an adult, which I can definitely relate to.
“When I was shooting season one, I was 17 and 18, but still a child in many ways. I was 20 and 21 when filming season two. Over that time, I became an adult. I definitely have become a lot more independent than I used to be.”
Since the sci-fi hit thrust the two of them into the spotlight together, 50-year-old Pedro – who won an Emmy nomination for the first season – has been extremely protective of his co-star.
“There’s a lot of care,” says Bella. “We often joke that I look after him more than he looks after me, but he’s very sensitive and receptive to things. He’s been such a supporter of mine and I feel very safe with him.”
Also supportive was the film’s stunt team, who trained her up in Brazilian jiujitsu.
Bella laughs, “I was so grateful for them allowing me to do all of the stunts in the show with their guidance. Although there’s one shot in the final cut that I noticed was my stunt double Cassandra. She stepped in and did a couple of takes so I could go have a snack!”
Kaitlyn confesses: ‘My grief helped me’
Joining The Last Of Us this season is Apple Cider Vinegar actress Kaitlyn Dever, who plays Abby, a member of the Fireflies who’s on the hunt for Joel after he killed members of their group to protect Ellie.
The star, who originally auditioned for the role of Ellie, has strong ties to the franchise through her father.
“It’s such a full-circle moment for me,” explains Kaitlyn, 28. “Playing the game with my dad has been in the background of my life for 10 years. We were big fans and it was a real bonding moment for us.
“We were so happy when it became a TV show. This is sort of surreal. It feels meant to be.”
After losing her mum Kathy to breast cancer last year, Kaitlyn says sharing the experience of The Last Of Us with her tight-knit family is “the best part of the job”. She also sees a lot of herself in Abby and the grief that she endures.
“The way she carries herself is reflective of how broken she is and the emotional toll that grief’s had on her body,” she says. “I took a lot of inspiration from her. But honestly, I was taking a lot of parts of my life into Abby. Some scenes were quite therapeutic for me.”
Season two of The Last Of Us is now streaming on Neon.
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