"Didn't know about the game": When Pedro Pascal broke silence around his casting in The Last Of Us

When Pedro Pascal was in the early stages of talks to lead HBO’s adaptation of The Last of Us, there was a whole lot of buzz on the internet as the legendary game was being turned into a series.

However, as it turns out, Pascal himself had little to no knowledge about the video game before taking on the lead role in the show. In fact, the actor confessed that he didn’t even know about the game before he got cast.

His bit on The Graham Norton show offers a glimpse into some of the behind-the-scenes footage of Pascal getting his hands on one of his most iconic roles.

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Pedro Pascal reveals how he landed the role in The Last of Us

While fans of The Last of Us were all mindful of how big the game was, Pedro Pascal was blissfully unaware. During an appearance on The Graham Norton Show, Pascal frankly confessed that he had no idea what The Last of Us was.

While confessing about how little he knew from the start, he says;

“I didn’t know about the games before I got the job and then I got the job and found out very quickly about the game...a very famous video game.”

Pascal also leaned on his family to get a hint at the level of the game's popularity. Ringing up his sister, who has two teenage sons, he asked if they’d ever heard of the game. Their response was immediate and definite —both boys yelled at him to “better get that job!” Pascal now knew that the pressure was clearly on.

Pascal even had to sway the game's creator in London to give him a shot at playing the lead, despite not having played the game before. At the end of the day, his performance would come to be loved by most, making his initial ignorance all the more interesting.

What is The Last of Us about?

The official synopsis for the show reads:

“In 2003, a parasitic fungal infection ravaged the planet, turning humans into violent creatures known as the Infected. Twenty years later, hardened survivor Joel (Pedro Pascal) is hired to smuggle 14-year-old Ellie (Bella Ramsey) to the rebel Fireflies.”

As they fight through a treacherous and broken world, their relationship grows stronger in between threats that are constant, not just from the people who are infected, but also from other survivors who are desperate to get out.

Season 2 set to arrive soon, and it picks up 5 years after the first season's end. Characters like Abby Anderson, Jesse, and Dina are all projected to play important roles.

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As fans gear up for a second season to drop soon, season 1 can be streamed on HBO.