The Last of Us series, based on Naughty Dog’s acclaimed video game franchise, has just premiered on HBO Max. The story centers on the post-apocalyptic odyssey of Joel and Ellie, who must survive against all odds in a world decimated by a mutated strain of the Cordyceps fungus that has created a powerful infection that transforms humans into raving monsters.

Whether you’re a fan of the games (2013’s The Last of Us and 2020’s The Last of Us: Part II) or you don’t know the story at all, we offer you a breakdown of the characters in the series. Most are from the game, but some are new, as the 10-episode first season adapts the game and contains chapters that “depart heavily” from the original story.

Here’s a closer look at the many characters we will meet in Season 1 of The Last of Us (no spoilers, feel free to read) as the fate of humanity rests on the escort mission of a bitter and jaded man, who tries to transport an orphaned girl who could unlock the secrets of a worldwide cure.

Pedro Pascal as Joel

Game of Thrones/The Mandalorian’s Pedro Pascal stars as Joel, a man who suffered untold loss early in the fungipocalypse. Turned into a taciturn, self-enclosed shell, Joel is on a mission to escape his tyrannically strict Quarantine Zone to smuggle a young woman, Ellie, across the United States to a medical facility run by a rebel militia called the Fireflies. Haunted by his past, Joel reluctantly accepts the mission when he discovers why Ellie is so special to the resistance movement. In the games, Joel is played by Troy Baker.

Bella Ramsey as Ellie

Game of Thrones’ Bella Ramsey stars as Ellie, a feisty and defiant 14-year-old girl who is as surprised as everyone else to discover that she is immune to the Cordyceps brain infection. Could she be the cure to discover a vaccine that saves all of society? There’s only one way to find out. Joel, one of the best smugglers in the business, reluctantly becomes her escort as the two venture into the badlands, traveling from Massachusetts to Colorado. In the games, Ellie is played by Ashley Johnson.

Gabriel Luna as Tommy

From Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD/Terminator: Dark Fate, Gabriel Luna stars as Tommy, Joel’s idealistic little brother. A former soldier, Tommy joins the Fireflies to try to make this post-apocalyptic world a better place. He is more proactive than his surly older brother. In the games, Tommy is played by Jeffrey Pierce.

Anna Torv as Tess

Anna Torv from Fringe and Mindhunter stars as Tess, a weathered survivor from the new world (played by Annie Wersching in the game). Tess is Joel’s smuggling partner, brave and capable, doing what he has to do to get by in the ravaged hellscape.

Jeffrey Pierce como Perry

We don’t know much about Perry’s character, other than that he’s an original character from the series, a rebel from the Quarantine Zone, and played by Tommy’s voice actor, Jeffrey Pierce. And Pierce isn’t the only voice actor from the games who has been given a live-action role in the series.

Melanie Lynskey as Kathleen

Another original character in the series is Kathleen, played by Yellowjackets’ Melanie Lynskey. Kathleen is reportedly the leader of a revolutionary movement in Kansas City. Right now it’s unclear if this means she’s a senior in the ranks of the Fireflies, as that’s the main rebel organization in the game’s history.

Lamar Johnson como Henry

Lamar Johnson from The Hate You Give plays Henry, a role played by Brandon Scott in the game. Henry and his little brother Sam are hiding from Kathleen’s revolutionary group in Kansas City, meeting Joel and Ellie along the way. In the game, these events take place in Pittsburgh.

Keivonn Woodard como Sam

Sam is a deaf boy who is persecuted by violent revolutionaries along with his brother Henry. Keivonn Woodard plays him in the series, while Nadji Jeter (Spider-Man: Miles Morales) played Sam in the game. It should be noted that Sam is not deaf in-game, and is slightly older than actor Keivonn Woodard, so the Henry/Sam dynamic may have changed significantly.

Graham Greene as Marlon

In the wilds of Wyoming lives Marlon, a series original character played by Graham Greene (Dances with Wolves, Die Hard). Not much else is known about Marlon, other than that in the trailer he warns Joel and Ellie not to continue on their journey.

Elaine Miles como Florence

Marlon’s wife is Florence, played by Elaine Miles from Alaska’s Doctor. Marlon and Florence are a good example of how the series could expand on Joel and Ellie’s journeys, as they are both new people they meet along the way.

Ashley Johnson as Anna

Ashley Johnson, Ellie’s original actress, was seen by fans in the trailer as apparently Ellie’s mother. In fact, the baby in the picture is Ellie, in a flashback.

Merle Dandridge como Marlene

Merle Dandridge from Sons of Anarchy and Star-Crossed plays Marlene, the leader of the Fireflies… just like in the game! Yes, the interpreter of the game reprises the role in live action. Marlene, as the leader of the Fireflies, hopes to achieve military occupation of the Quarantine Zones and restore government control. In the game, Ellie’s mother, a close friend of hers, commissioned Marlene to take care of her daughter.

Nick Offerman como Bill

Bill, played by Parks and Recreation’s Nick Offerman (who replaced the originally cast Con O’Neill), is a survivor who lives in an isolated and trap-ridden town near Joel. Bill is a game character, originally played by Deadwood’s W. Earl Brown, whose role may have been beefed up a bit for the sake of the series. In the series, Bill lives with Frank, although in the game Frank is already Bill’s old roommate and is only seen briefly.

Murray Bartlett como Frank

The White Lotus’ Murray Bartlett is Frank, a survivor who lives with Nick Offerman’s Bill. Frank is a character in the game, although he is more talked about in the game than seen. The fact that Bartlett has his own poster of Frank seems to suggest a greater presence of him in the HBO series.

¿Scott Shepherd as David? Troy Baker as James

Dark Phoenix’s Scott Shepherd hasn’t been officially announced as the game’s character David, though those who have seen the trailer will recognize his scenes as very Davidian. Without giving too much away, David is a dangerous antagonistic force that Joel and Ellie encounter on their journey. In the game, David is played by famous voice actor Nolan North (Nathan Drake in Naughty Dog’s Uncharted).

And yes, in this screenshot from the trailer you’ll see Joel’s voice actor, Troy Baker, in Scott Shepherd’s one-armed gang. This is James, voiced by Reuben Langdon (Dante in the Devil May Cry series) in the game. James is described as a “veteran member of a group of settlers.” While it is true, it is clear that they want to cause some damage.

¿Rutina Wesley as Maria?

Rutina Wesley, from True Blood/Hannibal, is also in the series, though her role has yet to be confirmed. Rumors claim, however, that she plays Maria, who would be the wife of Gabriel Luna’s Tommy. Together they would run a settlement in Wyoming. In the game, Maria was played by Jericho/UnREAL’s Ashley Scott.

Brad LelandMr. Adler

We don’t know what character he’s playing yet, other than that he goes by the name “Mr. Adler,” but Friday Night Lights’ Brad Leland is in the HBO series.

Storm Reid como Riley Abel

Riley is a character from the game, specifically from the acclaimed The Last of Us DLC, Left Behind, who will be played by Storm Reid, from Euphoria/A Wrinkle in Time. Like Ellie, Riley is an orphan girl growing up in post-apocalyptic Boston. Left Behind, which released after The Last of Us, acted as a quasi-prequel story.

Nico Parker as Sarah

Nico Parker (Tim Burton’s Dumbo) will play the pivotal role of Sarah, Joel’s daughter. When the world begins to rapidly fall apart, due to crazed infected humans causing murder and mayhem, Joel and Sarah, who live in Austin, are caught by surprise, prompting Joel to do everything in his power to protect the rest of the world. his family. Hanah Hayes (The Grinder) plays the role in the game.