When Young Mazino heard it was a role for him in “The Last of Us” season 2The loved one “Beef” The actor “ran to a gamestop, bought a used PS4 and played through the game” immediately. Mazino told IndieWire that he was already a fan of HBOs TV Adaptation thanks to its Emmy-winning first season, but studying the source material felt substantially before they met with series co-creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann. If only someone had told him, they didn’t want their actors to play the game.
“It was important for Craig (Mazin as a showrunner) to fully understand the game,” Druckmann told Indiewire. “With our actors, what we said to them – and they would often not listen to us – we asked them:“ Don’t play the game. “Because the games have performances that are brilliant when it comes to me.”
Head of Game Studio Naughty Dog, Druckmann Co -written “The Last of US: Part II” with Halley Gross. The best -selling sequel arrived at consoles in 2020 and continued to win “Games of the Year” from hundreds of organizations and publications all over the world. It was important for Druckmann that none of his project overshadows the other, and that the game’s voice and motion catch casting got its decay.
“Ashley Johnson created a perfect Ellie, and I didn’t want Bella (Ramsey) to try to copy what Ashley Johnson did,” explained Druckmann. “I wanted to see Bella RamseyS version. That is why you bring in talented artists, so they can interpret the material again. “
Even after jumping the gun on the games a little, the Mazino got the part. Hell appear as jesse On “The Last of Us” season 2 soon and join a complex ensemble that is opposite to Ramsey for Ellie’s darkest chapter yet. Ramsey told Indiewire that they were successfully guided from playing video Games when they first signed for season 1 and four years later they have not made progress.
“I’m not a player and haven’t played the games because I can’t do it, I’ve tried,” Ramsey said. “I’ve seen Playthroughs. It’s my way in. I have such respect for the people who do it. Thanks to the people who filmed and played it and put it on Youtube because you literally saved the day.”
Ramsey, who praises the series’ wide audience and “Accessibility for non-players, said they would routinely look at the inserts from the game as soon as a day after filming new versions for the TV series. Sometimes the” Game of Thrones “actor said they could know them Two worlds collide on set.
“Sometimes I get targeted and I am,” Oh, I see you try to make me do what was in the game! ” – Which is cool,” Ramsey said. “Then it is to have that reference point really good to be like,” Oh yes, I know exactly what you ask me to do because I have seen this happen already and I can replicate it, “but in a way that still feels like it does not copy but comes from me and fresh and new and exciting.”
Druckmann did not quote any specific technical benefits of having Ramsey observe the original for the adaptation, but he applauds the former “Game of Thrones” actor for their commitment and ambition.
“They want to know as much as possible about how to lift (these details) and make it their own, and they have,” Druckmann said. “For me, it’s the best way to honor what Ashley Johnson did is make it your own and not just try to duplicate what Ashley did.”
Mazino asked for some last comments and talked to IndieWire and called out his equivalent in the game.
“I know there is a certain pressure that is involved in playing a character that is already loved and adapted,” Mazino said. “Stephen Chang did such a good job of producing Jesse, but that’s just reference material. The whole thing is merged into what I hope to be an honest performance of a really well thought out, well -developed character.”
“I am excited for (people) who are fans of the game to feel that they are experiencing the story again for the first time,” echoed Ramsey. “And people who don’t know the game, who haven’t played the game, I’m so excited for them to experience it without knowing anything.”
“The Last of US” Season 2 will be broadcast new episodes on Sundays at 21 at HBO and Max.
