While Peter Pascal he was fantastic as Joel in the HBO Max series adaptation of The Last of Us, another actor is almost finished in the role. That actor is Mahershala Aliwho will star in the next Marvel film Lama movie.
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This little “what if” casting tidbit came from Jeffrey Pierce, the voice of Tommy in the games. During an interview with The Direct, Pierce shared that he didn’t expect to play Tommy in the series adaptation because Mahershala was initially being courted for the role of Joel, he explained:
“I think they initially talked to Mahershala Ali about playing Joel which is an obvious sign that I won’t be playing Tommy… And when they cast Pedro [Pascal], I knew that, yes, it certainly wasn’t going to happen regardless, I’m older than Pedro Pascal. So I was under no illusions about it, for sure.”
Gabriel Luna is the actor who eventually took over the role of Tommy in the series, but Pierce appears in the show as the character Perry, who is an ally of Melanie Lynskey’s ruthless Kathleen, and appears in episode 4 and episode 5 Additionally, Troy Baker, who voices Joel in the video game franchise, has a role in the upcoming Episode 8. Pierce opened up about his role on the show, saying:
“I said [co-showrunner Neil Druckmann] in the beginning, i was like, look, i’ll come and i’ll bring a spear and i’ll stand in the corner if there’s anything i can do to help tell the story of the game – you know, count on me. And the fact that he turned into Perry is one of them [laughs]. She sent me the scripts and I read it. I was like, ‘Oh shit, this is going to be so much fun.’ He’s one of the most lovely, talented, decent human beings around, and he’s so good at his job that when he hands you the writing, you just know how to fly it. And this was one of those moments.”
In the end, casting Psacal as Joel was the right decision, he’s perfect in the role! However, it is interesting to know that the creative team was eyeing Mahershala for the lead role. He’s a great actor, but I don’t think I would trade Pascal for anyone in that role. What do you think?
by Joey Paur
Source: Geek Tyrant
Lloyd Grunewald is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. He is a talented writer who focuses on bringing the latest entertainment-related news to his readers. With a deep understanding of the entertainment industry and a passion for writing, Lloyd delivers engaging articles that keep his readers informed and entertained.
