Meet the cast of The Last of Us season 2

"I think she’s a little harder, she’s a bit more like Joel … but also she’s still the same person, like she still has the same sense of humour."

Speaking about working on season 2, Ramsey said (via London Evening Standard): “[Filming] was pretty smooth sailing. It was hard work, as it always is, and especially this season, it’s amped up a level from season 1.

"So it was tough, long days, but the whole cast and crew just bonded together so well. It made it a really incredible experience."

According to co-creator Craig Mazin, there is so much to explore in this next chapter of the story that it's likely to lead to one more season at least.

"We’re taking our time and go down interesting pathways which we did a little bit in season 1 too,” he explained. “We feel like it’s almost assuredly going to be the case that — as long as people keep watching and we can keep making more television — season 3 will be significantly larger. And indeed, the story may require season 4.”

He added: “One thing is absolutely for sure, I don’t see how we could tell the story that remains after season 2 is complete in one more season."

As well as our fan-favourites returning, there have also been plenty of new additions to the cast!

After originally being considered for the role of Ellie in The Last of Us's initial film adaptation plans, Booksmart star Kaitlyn Dever is Abby, an integral character in the original games.

Defending her casting, Neil Druckmann said: "We value performance over anything else. We need someone to really capture the essence of those characters.... We don't value as much, 'Do they look exactly like the character with their eyebrows or their nose or their body?' Whatever it is.

"It's not nowhere on the priority list, but it's below a bunch of other things that we consider."

Meanwhile, Young Mazino, Isabella Merced, Tati Gabrielle, Danny Ramirez, Catherine O'Hara and more are all joining the ranks of the hit HBO series. But who's who in the new season?

Read on for everything you need to know about the cast of The Last of Us season 2.

The Last of Us season 2 cast: Who will star alongside Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey?

The confirmed cast list for The Last of Us season 2 is as follows, scroll on to find out more about the characters plus where you may have seen the actors before.

• Pedro Pascal as Joel
• Bella Ramsey as Ellie
• Gabriel Luna as Tommy
• Rutina Wesley as Maria
• Kaitlyn Dever as Abby
• Isabela Merced as Dina
• Young Mazino as Jesse
• Ariela Barer as Mel
• Tati Gabrielle as Nora
• Spencer Lord as Owen
• Danny Ramirez as Manny
• Jeffrey Wright as Isaac
• Catherine O’Hara as TBC
• Joe Pantoliano as Eugene
• Alanna Ubach as Hanrahan
• Ben Ahlers as Burton
• Hettienne Park as Elise
• Robert John Burke as Seth
• Noah Lamanna as Kat

Bella Ramsey plays Ellie

Who is Ellie? In season 1, we met Ellie as a 14-year old orphan who has an instinct for anger and defiance but was also looking for belonging. Her immunity to the cordyceps fungus was the reason why she embarked on a cross-country journey with Joel in season 1, but after he pulled her abruptly out of it (and lied to her), things are different for the pair in season 2.

Where have I seen Bella Ramsey? Ramsey is best known for her role as Lyanna Mormont in Game of Thrones, while she has also appeared in the series His Dark Materials, Becoming Elizabeth, Hilda, The Worst Witch and Time. In addition, she's featured in films such as Catherine Called Birdy and Judy.

Pedro Pascal plays Joel

Who is Joel? Joel is a hardened survivor in The Last of Us who is tormented by past trauma. Season 1 saw him having to trek across a post-apocalyptic American landscape and protect Ellie along the way, making the decision to stop Ellie's medical procedure, which would have likely left her dead. He lied to Ellie about the outcome of everything, which will likely be the backbone of their tension in season 2.

Where have I seen Pedro Pascal? Pascal is best known for his roles as Oberyn Martell in Game of Thrones, Javier Peña in Narcos and as the title character in Star Wars series The Mandalorian. He has also had major roles in films including Gladiator II, Kingsman: The Golden Circle, Wonder Woman 1984 and The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent. He is also set to star in the upcoming Fantastic Four movie.

Kaitlyn Dever plays Abby

Who is Abby? Abby is a new character, who has been wronged by Joel – and she's ready to face up to Ellie in a big way.

Co-creator Craig Mazin told The Hollywood Reporter that when thinking about the character of Abby, they needed “somebody who can stand on her own as the hero, as the villain, as somebody we love, as somebody we’re confused by, as somebody we root for and against".

"They have to make us connect to them in this deep way, and Kaitlyn just has this profound nature — there’s a depth there," he added. "I always say there are actors that you want to hang out with, but then there are actors you want to hug, and she’s both at the same time.”

Dever also said that fans will get a "lot more context" as to why the character of Abby is the way she is. “There’s a lot more lead-up to her character and her storyline… in the show, we go a lot deeper with her character, emotionally speaking,” she told TV Insider.

"And I think that that’s very exciting to get to sort of bring to life a video game character that has such an intense presence."

Where have I seen Kaitlyn Dever before? Dever is best known for her role as Amy in Booksmart, as well as roles in Dopesick, Ticket to Paradise, and Dear Evan Hanson. More recently, Dever led the cast of Apple Cider Vinegar.

Young Mazino plays Jesse

Who is Jesse? Jesse is one of the patrol group leaders, he's a friend of Ellie's and Dina's ex-boyfriend.

Where have I seen Young Mazino before? Mazino is best known for his role as Paul Cho in Beef.

Isabela Merced plays Dina

Who is Dina? Dina is "a free-wheeling spirit whose devotion to Ellie will be tested by the brutality of the world they inhabit". She's incredibly close to Ellie and is set to be a romantic interest for season 2.

"Dina is the fun, outgoing person that you might perceive her to be,” Merced told TV Insider.

“However, she has much darker stories to tell and a darker side to her that will probably make her more well-rounded and vulnerable as the series goes on,” she said.

Where have I seen Isabela Merced before? Merced has starred in Transformers: The Last Knight and the Lost City of Gold.

Gabriel Luna plays Tommy

Who is Tommy? Tommy is Joel's younger brother. He is an idealistic former soldier hoping for a better world.

Where have I seen Gabriel Luna? Luna is perhaps best known for playing Ghost Rider in Agents of SHIELD, while he has also had major roles in Terminator: Dark Fate, True Detective and the film Eddie & Sunny.

Rutina Wesley plays Maria

Who is Maria? Maria is Tommy's wife and before the outbreak, worked as an Assistant District Attorney. Now, she's an elected council member in their Wyoming commune.

Where have I seen Rutina Wesley? Wesley is perhaps best known for her role as Tara Thornton in True Blood. She's also appeared in the series Queen Sugar and Arrow.

Catherine O’Hara plays TBC

Who does Catherine O'Hara play in The Last of Us season 2? As of now, O'Hara's role remains a mystery, but it is understood that she will portray a therapist-like figure that could be working with Joel.

"It’s such a powerful show and so beautifully done,” O'Hara told Vanity Fair. “She’s the only therapist in town—and what a clientele, can you imagine? So she’s not in the best mood when you see her.”

“The way Catherine O’Hara’s character integrates with some of the other people in the story, including a character that has been referenced in the games but never seen before, it’s really cool and it also gives us the chance to see what people tell their therapists,” co-creator Craig Mazin told The Hollywood Reporter.

"You think they always tell their therapists the truth, but what are the parts they don’t tell the therapist? That’s where it gets interesting."

Where have I seen Catherine O'Hara? O'Hara is perhaps best known for her roles in Home Alone, Schitt's Creek, Beetlejuice and its subsequent 2024 sequel movie, Second City Television and Best in Show. She has also starred in Pain Hustlers, The Wild Robot and is currently appearing in Apple TV+'s The Studio.

Tati Gabrielle as Nora

Who is Nora? A military medic, Nora is one of the members of the Washington Liberation Front and a former Firefly that's working under Abby's guidance.

Where have I seen Tati Gabrielle? Gabrielle is known for her roles in You, The 100, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and Uncharted.

Spencer Lord as Owen

Who is Owen? A former Firefly now working with Abby and co in the WLF, Owen is part of Abby's mission to track down Joel.

Where have I seen Spencer Lord? Lord has starred in Heartland, Family Law, Riverdale and The Good Doctor.

Danny Ramirez as Manny

Who is Manny? Manny is a loyal soldier and according to the character's official HBO description, is one "whose sunny outlook belies the pain of old wounds and a fear that he will fail his friends when they need him most".

Where have I seen Danny Ramirez? Ramirez is known for his roles in Top Gun: Maverick, The Gifted, On My Block and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.

Ariela Barer as Mel

Who is Mel? A young doctor working in the WLF, Mel's commitment to saving lives is tested by the realities of her surroundings.

Where have I seen Ariela Barer? Barer has starred in Runaways, Rebel, How to Blow Up a Pipeline and the 2020 reboot of Saved by the Bell.

The Last of Us season 1 cast

Nico Parker plays Sarah

Who is Sarah? Sarah is Joel's 14-year-old daughter.

Where have I seen Nico Parker? The daughter of Thandiwe Newton and Ol Parker, Nico Parker has previously starred in the films Dumbo and Reminiscence, as well as HBO series The Third Day.

Following backlash from a small minority of The Last of Us fans who questioned the casting of Pascal, who is of Chilean descent, and biracial star Parker, in roles that are white in the original game, Parker told Yahoo! Entertainment: “There are people for whom the game is incredibly important to them."

She added: “But when it comes from a place where it’s just a disdain toward any kind of inclusivity, that’s where I don’t care. I don’t value that opinion and I don’t agree.”

Who is Riley? Riley is an orphaned girl living in Boston.

Where have I seen Storm Reid? Reid is best known for her roles in series including Euphoria, When They See Us and The Bravest Knight, as well as films such as The Suicide Squad, The Invisible Man, 12 Years a Slave and A Wrinkle in Time.

Keivonn Woodard plays Sam

Who is Sam? Sam is Henry's brother. The pair are hiding out from a revolutionary movement in Kansas City.

Where have I seen Keivonn Woodard? Woodard's only previous on-screen credit is for Seeds of Hope: The Andrew Jackson Foster Story.

Lamar Johnson plays Henry

Who is Henry? Henry is Sam's brother. The pair are hiding out from a revolutionary movement in Kansas City.

Where have I seen Lamar Johnson? Johnson is best known for appearing series such as The Next Level and Your Honour, as well as the film X-Men: Dark Phoenix.

Anna Torv plays Tess

Who is Tess? Tess is a smuggler and hardened survivor.

Where have I seen Anna Torv? Torv is best known for starring in the shows Fringe and Mindhunter, as well as her roles in Secret City, The Newsreader and The Secret Life of Us.

Merle Dandridge plays Marlene

Who is Marlene? Marlene is the leader of a resistance group called the Fireflies, which is fighting for freedom against an oppressive regime.

Where have I seen Merle Dandridge? Dandridge is the only member of the central cast to carry over her role from the games, having previously played Marlene in both games, The Last of Us and The Last of Us 2. She is also known for her TV roles in Station 19, Truth Be Told, The Flight Attendant and Greenleaf.

The Last of Us season 1 is available on Sky Atlantic and NOW with an Entertainment Membership. Season 2 will be released in April.

Check out more of our Sci-fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on this week. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.