More than one Joel will appear inThe Last of UsHBO Max series. Fans spotted motion capture and voice actor for Joel from the video games, Troy Baker, for a brief second in the official trailer. Joel is the protagonist ofThe Last of Uswhom fans immediately connected with following the events of the first game, now played by Pedro Pascal.
HBO released theofficialThe Last of Ustrailer, marking it as the second trailer for the series debuting on January 15. The trailer is filled with moments that fans recognize from the games, although there is more than meets the eye here, as some fans were able to spot Baker in a role that is very much the opposite of his Joel counterpart, which is sure to bring some mind-blowing interactions between Baker’s mysterious character, Ellie, and Joel in the later half ofThe Last of Us.
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At the 1:53 mark of the trailer, Baker is spotted on the left with what is presumed to be David’s gang. For those unfamiliar with David, he can be described as one of the story’s antagonists and is generally a bad person. It was originally reported thatBaker wanted to be inThe Last of Usseriesbut not as Joel, which is now the case.
Baker’s role inThe Last of Usseries may be broken down into three different gang members. He could be one of the two from the interrogation, which would be a shocking moment for fans who are used to seeing Baker on the other side of this iconic scene, or he could be David’s right-hand man, who was showcased during the antagonist’s introduction. In this scene, Baker’s character would theoretically be pointing a gun at Ellie, which would be equally jaw-dropping for fans.
Baker’s support of Pascaland the confirmation of his role in the series may be the recipe fans needed if they were on the fence regarding the story’s transition from video games to television. Ashley Johnson, the motion capture and voice actor for Ellie, is also spotted in the trailer holding a baby. Fans have speculated that, in meta fashion, Ashley Johnson is playing Ellie’s mother, who was not given screen time or talked about in the games. Speculation aside, it is great to see these two taking part in the series, which is sure to bring much more meaning and gravitas to their characters.
The Last of Uspremieres Jul 14, 2025, on HBO and HBO Max.
