One of the most awesome things about The Last of Us has been the fact that the voice actors who appeared in the original Naughty Dog video game are involved in the live-action series adaptation. Although the cameos are a welcome thing for fans, the actors themselves did not expect to be part of the show. Ashley Johnson has just admitted that being asked to be in the series was "a surprise" for herself and the other voice actors.
Ashley Johnson has just made her debut in The Last of Us Episode 9 where she plays Anna, the mother of Ellie, the character she voiced in the video game. Her appearance is undoubtedly one of the most anticipated cameos on the show but Johnson admitted she wasn't expecting to be involved in the live-action series.
"I think it was a surprise to all of us that were in the game that we were asked to be a part of this," Johnson told GamesRadar. "Because I'm sure you all know that, most of the time with a video game adaptation to screen, generally the video game voice actors or motion capture artists, they don't also go into the fold."
Ashley Johnson certainly has a point there but The Last of Us made sure this isn't the case. Most of the voice actors who had major roles in the game made an appearance in the TV show, playing a different character in the live-action adaptation. For instance, original Joel actor Troy Baker was cast as James, a minor character in The Last of Us Episode 8. Meanwhile, Merle Dandridge reprised her role as Marlene in the series.
The first season of The Last of Us already introduced several voice actors in new roles and it's unlikely that the series will stop there. Fans are expecting other actors from the game to make an appearance in Season 2.
All episodes of the first season of The Last of Us are now streaming on HBO Max.
Related: The Last of Us Episode 9 Concludes With Joel's Game-Changing Decision
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