The Last Of Us' child clicker audition tape is truly cursed

The Last of Us’ fifth episode arrived a little earlier than expected, but what a treat it was. ‘Endure and Survive’ drew the Kansas City leg of Joel and Ellie’s journey to a close in spectacular fashion. In fact, I’d go as far as saying it’s the best episode to date.

Where do we begin? We all suspected that the Bloater may show up after last week’s episode and lo and behold, the big lad arrived. Poor Perry, played by Jeffrey Pierce, had a particularly gruesome death but it’s a death animation that video game fans may recognise. We actually had the chance to sit down with Pierce to discuss the episode and whether he’d be up for returning as Tommy in a potential The Last of Us Part III. The Bloater wasn’t the only standout Infected though.

Can't wait for the next episode? Check out the promo for 'Kin' below.

The episode also included a terrifying child Clicker. If you were too busy hiding behind your hands during the horde scene, Ellie was cornered in a car by a child Clicker who managed to contort their way into the car via a window. It was as nightmare inducing as it sounds. What’s equally creepy is the child actor’s audition tape, according to Craig Mazin anyway.

As reported by SlashFilm, nine-year-old contortionist Skye Cowton brought the Clicker to life after Mazin deemed her audition tape to be “the most terrifying.” He explained, “She's this beautiful little girl, but [...] it's so creepy how she can move her body like that. And so, it was a combination of her performance, and then Wētā kind of creating, taking, drafting off of what Barrie Gower had created with prosthetics, and then making this little girl.”

“I insisted that our child clicker wear a Blue's Clues shirt because I'm really sick, and I just loved the contrast of innocence and horror,” Mazin added. The child Clicker didn’t just terrorise Ellie, Kathleen met a rather grisly end. I suppose that’s the price of chasing revenge.