‘The Last of Us’ fans react to a Joel casting that never came to be

Actor Jeffrey Pierce spilled the tea on which Academy Award-winning actor almost got the part of Joel Miller in the TV adaptation of The Last of Us.

A fan took to the r/TheLastOfUs subreddit to share the news that Pierce revealed to The Direct that showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann were in discussions with Mahershala Ali to play Joel Miller. Ultimately, the part went to Pedro Pascal. However, they suggested Ali’s casting would have met disapproval from the fandom.

The fandom immediately began to prove OP’s point, expressing restrictive views and rigid double standards about race. Ironically, the actor currently portraying Joel is of a different ethnicity than the in-game version of the character. However, this seemed to go over the heads of naysayers.

One Redditor acknowledged that Ali would give a stellar performance, but added that fans of the game were unlikely to see past the Oscar winner’s complexion.

Another Redditor recognized Ali’s extraordinary talent, but for some reason, they did not think that the makeup and special effects department could make him into a weathered Southern father figure.

Some fans understood that the showrunners were looking for the most talented actor for the role and were thrilled at the thought of Ali playing Joel.

Still another Redditor was disgusted that the fandom would revolt against the casting of an actor of Ali’s caliber because of obtuse ideas about the color of Joel’s skin. They pointed out that Zendaya’s casting as Mary Jane in Spider-Man encountered the same barbarous ignorance.

OP’s point about a backlash was proven when a moderator had to lock the thread because of prejudiced responses from people who felt threatened by the idea of an actor of African descent playing Joel.

The discussion devolved into a melée of prejudice by people who felt threatened by the idea of a Black actor playing Joel, and a moderator had to lock the thread. The TV adaptation of The Last of Us shows that the inclusive casting of actors like Pedro Pascal, Melanie Lynskey, and Nico Parker elevates the story. Despite the narrow beliefs of some viewers, there is no doubt that Mahershala Ali would have made an incredible Joel Miller. 

The Last of Us airs on Sunday on HBO Max.