Pedro Pascal has quite a 2023 on the cards, appearing in two of the most anticipated TV shows of the year. The actor will be reprising his role as Din Djarin in the third season of The Mandalorian on Disney+ later this year, but first, he takes on the lead role of Joel in HBO’s adaptation of the survival horror game series The Last of Us. However, there was a possibility that he may not have been able to take on his latest role if not for The Mandalorian’s producers being “very generous” in letting him work on both series.

While it seems like a given that there would be no issues with Pascal appearing in two different shows simultaneously, the potential similarities between the projects meant he felt the need to cover his bases. Talking to The Hollywood Reporter about the comparisons that could be made between the story of Din Jarin’s relationship with Grogu and that of Joel and Ellie, Pascal said:

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

Pascal went on to note that working on a rival’s project was only really possible thanks to some improvisation around his Mandalorian work. He continued:

“It definitely came to mind. As I [got familiar with the game], I noticed there are so many things I’ve seen that visually or thematically reference The Last of Us. Like Logan. And yes, the trope has been used in so many different ways – you can go back to {Manga series] Lone Wolf and Cub, you can go to Paper Moon. But as far as Mandalorian and The Last of Us existing in close proximity, for me, it’s the best double dipping I could possibly imagine.”

“[Producers] Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni are creatively not limiting themselves to the way things are normally done. We’ve improvised making myself available for whatever they need. I hesitate revealing anything because I don’t want any plot surprises to be spoiled.”

Pedro Pascal Has No Issues Being Cast In ‘Dad’ Roles

After playing a protector to Grogu in The Mandalorian, the role of Joel in The Last of Us sees Pedro Pascal once again taking on a guardian role, this time to youngster Ellie as the pair attempt to survive a post-apocalyptic world gone bad. When asked whether he had noticed that he frequently took on roles that involved being a protective figure, Pascal replied:

The Last of Us will make its debut on HBO on Jan. 15, with a feature-length opening episode that clocks in at 85 minutes. This will give those unfamiliar with the game a good handle on the world the series is set in and potentially gain a healthy opening audience to make the show one of 2023’s big hits.

“There is something interesting there. You start to recognize a thread between your characters that you didn’t necessarily look for, but got cast in. I don’t have kids. I’ve only learned through these characters how painfully vulnerable one becomes and how much your life depends on their life being OK. It’s a fun fantasy to fulfill, and I’ll play as many dads as I can get.”