The Last of Us emerged as one of the most popular and critically acclaimed shows of 2023. Starring Pedro Pascal in the lead role, the series set a new gold standard for video game adaptations. It also won Pascal his first Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series but he failed to win in the category.
However, one of the most gut-wrenchingly emotional scenes from the show’s sixth episode was improvised by Pascal. During a podcast appearance, showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann peeled the cover on the emotional scene and Pascal’s improvisation while proving why he should have won an Emmy for the performance.
Pedro Pascal Improvised One of the Most Emotional Scenes in The Last of Us
Actor Pedro Pascal plays the role of Joel Miller in the HBO adaptation of the Naughty Dog video game series The Last of Us. The show’s first season premiered in January 2023 and follows Pascal’s Joel as he tries to protect Ellie, a 14-year-old girl immune to the virus that killed most of the human population in the world.
The show’s sixth episode features a scene where Joel breaks down what caring for Ellie means to him in front of his brother, Tommy. He says:
“I have dreams. Every night. I just know that when I wake up, I’ve lost something.”
According to showrunners, Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann the conversation was improvised by Pascal. During an appearance on the The Last of Us Podcast, the duo revealed how Pascal came up with the emotional lines.
“That was obviously a hard monologue to write, but the [lines], That was something from Pedro directly.”
Mazin made the above statement highlighting Pascal’s contribution to bringing out his character’s vulnerability in the emotional scene. Mazin added that the moment lent viewers a different view of Joel and his trauma as a survivor that was previously unseen in the games. As a result, the scene adds depth to Joel’s characterization in the series.
Why Perdro Pascal Should Have Won an Emmy For His The Last of Us Role
At the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards, Pedro Pascal was nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. Moreover, his official selection for consideration was his performance in the show’s sixth episode, titled Kin.
The episode’s improvisational scene which showcases the broken and traumatized side of Joel was truly a master performance from Pascal on every level. Therefore, Pascal arguably deserved to win the Emmy Award.
However, the award instead went to actor Kieran Culkin’s performance as Roman Roy in the penultimate episode of the final season of Succession. Also nominated in the same category were Culkin’s co-stars Brian Cox and Jeremy Strong alongside Bob Odenkirk and Jeff Bridges.
Given the universal critical acclaim of the final season of Succession, it is hard to argue against any of its three nominated actors winning the award. However, if anyone deserved it as much, it was Pascal. However, Pascal did win the Screen Actors Guild Awards for the role so there was some justice there.
The Last of Us is streaming on Max.
