The Last of Us may not return until 2025, but star Jeffrey Wright is opening up about joining the HBO series for its highly-anticipated second season.
Wright’s connection to the show extends beyond its TV confines, having originated the role he’ll play as Isaac Dixon in the video game. “My son was a fan of the game and I met Neil Druckmann who’s the creator,” Wright recalls of his initial introduction to the world. Druckman, as Wright points out is also “behind the series.”
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“He asked me if I wanted to be a part of the game,” Wright continues. “One of the writers from Westworld is a writer for the game and also for the series, Halley [Wegryn Gross],” the actor reveals. “And so, I asked my son, ‘What do you know about this thing, The Last of Us?’ And he was like, ‘What?!’” Wright says animatedly with a laugh.
In other words, his son’s enthusiasm was an easy way to convince Wright to join the world. “And so I agreed to voice this character Isaac Dixon for the game.” Wright is just the latest video game performer to dip his toes into the television version; Season 1 also featured Merle Dandridge reprising her role onscreen as Fireflies leader Marlene.
Of course, fans will recall how her story ended with Joel Miller (Pedro Pascal) killing her to save Ellie (Bella Ramsey) from being sacrificed to find a cure for the apocalyptic outbreak that turned the world upside down. Additionally, Season 1 featured other video game stars including Ashley Johnson and Troy Baker, who played the video game versions of Ellie and Joel, among others.
Regarding his return to The Last of Us universe, Wright says, “It was fun to go back and revisit that character but do it in the flesh,” which he notes is an “interesting flesh to inhabit.” As previously teased, Isaac is described as the leader of a large militia group known as the Washington Liberation Front in the video game.
While Wright couldn’t say too much about his character’s role in Season 2, he teases that when “we introduce the character this season, we tell a little about his history, which is a little more than we see in the game.” As for what viewers can anticipate, he warns, “Buckle up.”
The Last of Us, Season 2 Premiere, 2025, HBO and Max