section_path: Production/Casting
section_name: Casting
paragraph_text: Casting
  
  Druckmann felt Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey 's comfort and familiarity with their characters— Joel and Ellie, respectively—allowed them to "dive deeper" into their performances. Pascal and Ramsey, who grew close during production of the first season, considered their separation "painful" and "lonelier" during filming for the second. HBO denied rumors that Pascal had finished filming in March 2024; he returned for later scenes. Ramsey added a "green rider" into their second-season contract, requiring all departments to adopt sustainable practices during production. The season introduces several new characters and spends more time with them. Mazin felt the new actors "fit right in" due to the series's established reputation. Casting was put on hold in May 2023 due to the Writers Guild of America strike; actors had been auditioning with scenes from The Last of Us Part II due to an absence of scripts.
  
  The production team wanted to start the season's casting with Abby, beginning before the strike; Dever became the frontrunner after the strike ended in November, following the response to her performance in No One Will Save You (2023). She previously appeared in Naughty Dog's Uncharted 4: A Thief's End (2016), and was considered to play Ellie in the abandoned film adaptation of The Last of Us around the time. Her casting was announced on January 9, 2024, followed by Mazino's as Jesse on January 10, and Merced's as Dina on January 11. O'Hara's casting was announced on February 2, followed by Ramirez, Barer, Gabrielle, and Lord's on March 1, Wright's on May 24, and Ahlers, Burke, Lamanna, Pantoliano, Park, and Ubach's on March 5, 2025.
  
  Druckmann felt Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey 's comfort and familiarity with their characters— Joel and Ellie, respectively—allowed them to "dive deeper" into their performances. Pascal and Ramsey, who grew close during production of the first season, considered their separation "painful" and "lonelier" during filming for the second. HBO denied rumors that Pascal had finished filming in March 2024; he returned for later scenes. Ramsey added a "green rider" into their second-season contract, requiring all departments to adopt sustainable practices during production. The season introduces several new characters and spends more time with them. Mazin felt the new actors "fit right in" due to the series's established reputation. Casting was put on hold in May 2023 due to the Writers Guild of America strike; actors had been auditioning with scenes from The Last of Us Part II due to an absence of scripts.
  
  The production team wanted to start the season's casting with Abby, beginning before the strike; Dever became the frontrunner after the strike ended in November, following the response to her performance in No One Will Save You (2023). She previously appeared in Naughty Dog's Uncharted 4: A Thief's End (2016), and was considered to play Ellie in the abandoned film adaptation of The Last of Us around the time. Her casting was announced on January 9, 2024, followed by Mazino's as Jesse on January 10, and Merced's as Dina on January 11. O'Hara's casting was announced on February 2, followed by Ramirez, Barer, Gabrielle, and Lord's on March 1, Wright's on May 24, and Ahlers, Burke, Lamanna, Pantoliano, Park, and Ubach's on March 5, 2025.