HBO's The Last Of Us has perfectly cast Ellie's mum

We are just over one month away from the premiere of HBO’s The Last of Us series and if my Twitter feed is anything to go by, the rest of you are just as hyped about it as I am. Starring Pedro Pascal as Joel and Bella Ramsey as Ellie, The Last of Us premieres on 15 January - or 16 January here in the UK.

Earlier this year, it was revealed that video game actors Ashley Johnson and Troy Baker had been cast in the show in key undisclosed roles but exactly who they’re playing has been kept under wraps … until now. This weekend, The Last of Us’ cast and creatives took to Brazil’s Comic Con Experience (CCXP) where the show’s first full length trailer was released. There is so much to discuss, including who will be playing Ellie’s mum.

Take a look at the brand new trailer for HBO’s The Last of Us below. You’re going to want to stick around for the final shot.

As suspected by fans, Ashley Johnson (who portrayed Ellie in the game) is set to play Ellie’s mum, Anna, in the show. The fact that Ashley gave birth to Ellie in two ways is making me emotional - just look at her holding that baby. I call that a full-circle moment. Anna isn’t a character we see in the game, but we do hear about her in the American Dreams comic book. I won’t dive into any spoilers but seeing as Anna doesn’t stick around for long, you can safely presume that it’s not a happy tale.

It looks like Troy Baker will be playing a member of David’s gang. I did wonder if David was going to be included in the show as he was the only character not to have been referenced before now. The latest trailer reveals though that the role will be played by actor Scott Shepard who’s perhaps best known for appearances in El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie and Dark Phoenix. According to IMDB, Baker will appear in just one episode while Ashley Johnson will appear in three.

The attention to detail in the trailer is stunning. It seems to strike the perfect balance of honouring the game whilst also enriching the experience for fans. Can we all take a minute to appreciate the bloater at the end? Chef’s kiss. Also, using Take On Me and referencing Part II? This show is going to emotionally destroy me.