The Last of Us’ Pedro Pascal thinks Joel is an A-hole
Pedro Pascal seems perfect to play Joel in The Last of Us, and though he seems sweet, the star says 'we're both a**holes.'
16th Jun 2023 16:25
HBO | Naughty Dog
The Last of Us’ Pedro Pascal thinks Joel is an A-hole
Pedro Pascal seems perfect to play Joel in The Last of Us, and though he seems sweet, the star says 'we're both a**holes.'
16th Jun 2023 16:25
HBO | Naughty Dog
Oh we do miss him so. Even though we only had nine episodes to get to know Pedro Pascal's gruff Daddy Joel in HBO's live-action The Last of Us, it felt like we'd known him since Naughty Dog released the first game back in 2013.
We know Season 2 is on the way - with a third also in the pipeline - but for those who've played 2020's The Last of Us Part II, they'll know a pretty major arc is coming his way. While the casting of Joel was a tough one, Pascal might've got the part because he thinks he's pretty similar to his fictional counterpart.
Pedro Pascal thinks Joel Miller is an A-hole
Despite many assuming Joel is some sort of hero in The Last of Us, the games and series have shown he's a morally grey character. Although a loving father, he's also a corrupt smuggler and a brutal b*stard. This came to a head when he made a divisive decision at the end of the first game and the show's first season.
Pascal and Ellie actor Bella Ramsey sat down with Deadline to chat all things The Last of Us. When asked if they see any of themselves in their characters, Pascal quipped, "We're both assholes [laughs]." Come on Pedro, don't be so harsh on yourself.
As for Ramsey, she mused, "I feel Ellie came very naturally to me, and I didn't have to really try very hard. My American personality is Ellie because I learned the American accent through Ellie's dialogue. So now, whenever I speak in an American accent, for whatever reason, I become Ellie.
"I swear in an American accent, too. In my own [British] accent, it just sounds wrong, the words don't come out properly, and it trips me out. But I’ll happily call you a motherf*king asshole or dumbass [laughs]."
Was Joel wrong in The Last of Us Season 1 finale?
Pascal didn't expand on why he sees himself as an a**hole, but as for Joel, it's likely to do with the barriers he puts up and his selfishness. Of course, this came after the death of his daughter, Sarah (Nico Parker), on Outbreak Day. We slowly saw him mellow again when he met Ellie.
As for a**hole decisions, Joel has seemingly doomed humanity by choosing to save Ellie in The Last of Us Season 1 finale. Here, Joel kept Ellie alive, gunned down the Fireflies trying to find a cure, and even killed Marlene (Merle Dandridge) in cold blood.
Even months after the episode aired, we're still discussing it. Ramsey previously sparked debate by saying she'd probably have saved Joel if it was the other way around, while Showrunner Craig Mazin admitted he was "confused about it morally." Whether Joel is an a**hole or not, we can't help but love him.
About The Author
Tom Chapman
Tom is Trending News Editor at GGRecon, with an NCTJ qualification in Broadcast Journalism and over seven years of experience writing about film, gaming, and television. With bylines at IGN, Digital Spy, Den of Geek, and more, Tom’s love of horror means he's well-versed in all things Resident Evil, with aspirations to be the next Chris Redfield.
