"The Last of Us Season 2 Adds Six to Cast Before April Premiere"

HBO's The Last of Us Season 2 is gearing up for an exciting premiere on April 13, and it's expanding its cast with six new actors, as reported by Variety. The latest additions include Joe Pantoliano, known for his roles in Memento and The Matrix, Alanna Ubach from Euphoria and Bombshell, Ben Ahlers of The Gilded Age and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Hettienne Park from Don’t Look Up, Robert John Burke who starred in RoboCop 3, and Noah Lamanna from Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.

These actors will bring to life both characters from the original The Last of Us Part II game and new faces created for the series. Joe Pantoliano will take on the role of Eugene, a character who was briefly introduced as Ellie and Dina’s pot-smoking friend in the game but will receive more screen time in the show. Showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann shared with Variety that Eugene's backstory will be fleshed out, much like Bill's was in Season 1, providing deeper insights into Joel and Ellie's relationship.

Robert John Burke is set to play Seth, the bar owner and bigot from the game, while Noah Lamanna will portray Kat, Ellie's former girlfriend. Alanna Ubach, Ben Ahlers, and Hettienne Park will introduce new characters to the series, playing Hanrahan, Burton, and Elise Park, respectively.

This new ensemble joins the already announced cast members including Pedro Pascal as Joel, Bella Ramsey as Ellie, Isabela Merced as Dina, Kaitlyn Dever as Abby, and Gabriel Luna as Tommy. The showrunners have hinted that the narrative from The Last of Us Part II will unfold over multiple seasons, promising more surprises as the episodes air.

For fans eager for more details, The Last of Us Season 2 is set to explore the game's sequel in a live-action format starting April 13. Further insights into the series can be found in discussions about the potential for four seasons and Neil Druckmann's comments on including "pretty brutal" cut content from the original video game.