The Last of Us’ Troy Baker on Pedro Pascal Being Cast as Joel: ‘We’re Bulletproof Now’

Pedro Pascal has been collecting praise for his portrayal of Joel in HBO’s The Last of Us, with critics and fans alike celebrating his performance as the famous video game character. But he’s also scored one particularly notable endorsement.

Troy Baker, who originally voiced Joel Miller in the beloved game and its sequel, spoke with IGN (see the full interview here) about his own role in the TV series in the pentultimate Season 1 episode as James, a member of a group of survivors who cross paths with Ellie and Joel. During the interview, he spoke to what it was like to see Pascal step into Joel’s shoes.

“The thing that I wanted more than anything was for whoever was going to play Joel to just show me something new about the role,” Baker said. “Was there something that I overlooked? Was there something that I missed? Was there something that I didn’t know?”

“The second that I found out that they cast Pedro,” he went on, “I was like, ‘Oh, well, we’re bulletproof now.’ Because obviously his pedigree as an actor is incontrovertible, but it’s also the fact that he has embraced this character with such loving arms. And I couldn’t imagine more careful hands for this character to be in.”

In our The Last of Us Season 1 review, IGN wrote that Pascal “fits the role perfectly; stoic in the face of adversity and able to position himself at each end of Joel’s emotional spectrum, from warmly caring to ruthlessly violent.”

For more on HBO’s The Last of Us, check out our take on why it’s a testament to Naughty Dog’s 15 years of growth.

Matt Kim contributed to this report.

Alex Stedman is a Senior News Editor with IGN, overseeing entertainment reporting. When she’s not writing or editing, you can find her reading fantasy novels or playing Dungeons & Dragons.