New Cast Joins The Last of Us Season 3: Game Stars Return

A fresh wave of faces is steering the next chapter of The Last of Us. John Goodman, Ian Alexander and Laura Bailey have been added to the Season 3 roster, and at least two of those names carry an extra layer of meaning for fans who grew up with Naughty Dog’s games.

Goodman will play Joey, while Ian Alexander is set to appear as Paco. Laura Bailey takes on Elizabeth, described as one of the leaders of the Seraphites—also known to gamers as the Scars. Small details, perhaps. But in a show that trades on character moments, casting choices like these ripple through expectations.

Why does Bailey and Alexander’s casting matter so much? Because they’re not strangers to this world. Both voiced major characters in The Last of Us: Part II—Bailey was the voice of Abby and Alexander voiced Lev. In the television adaptation, those roles are being carried by Kaitlyn Dever (Abby) and Kiriana Kratter (Lev), but the involvement of game veterans in new parts adds a meaningful continuity between the two mediums.

This isn’t the first time HBO has tapped talent from the games. Merle Dandridge, who voiced Marlene in the original titles, played the same role on screen. Jeffrey Wright, who voiced Isaac Dixon in the game, stepped into the TV version of the character leading the WLF in Seattle. Ashley Johnson, the voice of Ellie in the games, even made a cameo in the series as Ellie's mother. The line between the game universe and the show has always been deliberately porous.

Season 3’s cast list continues to grow. Li Jun Li joins as Miriam, and Peter Sarsgaard arrives as Eamon, a newly introduced leader not drawn from the games. Jason Ritter will play Henley, Patrick Wilson is set to portray Jerry—Abby’s father—and Jorge Lendeborg Jr. takes on Manny, replacing Dany Ramirez due to scheduling conflicts. Other additions include Michelle Mao and Kalia DuVall, expanding the show’s roster of new and returning faces.

The creative team is shifting, too. Craig Mazin—who co-created the series with Neil Druckmann and served as an executive producer in the first two seasons—will step back into a producer role for Season 3. Druckmann, the game’s original creator, remains closely involved, ensuring the adaptation keeps a tether to its source.

HBO has been tight-lipped about plot specifics for Season 3, but industry chatter and story threads left dangling at the end of Season 2 point toward a heavier focus on Abby’s arc. Pedro Pascal’s Joel suffered enormous changes in Season 2, and the showrunners have signaled he won’t be a central physical presence in the new season—though flashbacks are still a possibility. The network hasn’t confirmed his return.

Season 3 is currently scheduled for 2027 and could be the show’s final season, according to statements from HBO leadership and the showrunners’ plans.

New arrivals, veterans of the games slipping into surprising roles, and a creative shift behind the scenes: together they promise a Season 3 that’s both familiar and restless. Keep an eye out—casting updates and plot details are likely to surface as production ramps up, and this adaptation still has a few tricks left to reveal.