Jensen Ackles, who is well known for his work on Supernatural and The Boys, says he battled for the role of Joel in the upcoming The Last of Us television adaptation. The Last of Us is a zombie apocalypse-themed video game released in 2013 to rave reviews. The plot centers on Joel, a man assigned to accompany Ellie, a teenage girl, across the nation when it is learned that Ellie is resistant to the zombie virus. A television version of the game was confirmed to be in the works in March 2020, and in February 2021 it was stated that Pedro Pascal had been cast as Joel and Bella Ramsey as Ellie.
According to @TheLastofUsTV on Twitter, Ackles revealed his desire to portray Joel in HBO’s The Last of Us during a recent Supernatural convention. Ackles claims that he worked really hard to get the part since it was something he truly wanted to achieve. He acknowledges that he wasn’t given much thought to the series. Ackles also makes a hint that he’s working on a video game project right now, but he won’t go into specifics just yet. Below, you can see Ackles discuss The Last of Us:
“I was really kind of pushing hard, but I don’t think I was really in the mix or really had a shot at it, but– for Pedro Pascal’s role in The Last of Us. I really, I was like– that was high up on my radar. That being said, I am about to head up to LA to shoot a whole day for a new game that’s coming out as a character… I can’t say what it is just yet, but you’ll find out soon enough.”
How Pascal Could Have Differed From Joel in Ackles
Ackles’ portrayal of Joel may have been extremely different from Pascal’s due to his roles as Dean Winchester in Supernatural and Soldier Boy in The Boys. Since both of Ackles’ most well-known characters are harsh and seldom emotional, Joel may have been the same way, putting a lot more emphasis on Joel’s toughness and attitude while being emotionally cold. Although it plays a significant role in Joel’s character in a number of ways, his bond with Ellie is even more crucial. As a result, Twitter users expressed their worry that Ackles might not have perfectly captured Joel’s protective, father nature.
Various actors were considered for The Last of Us, and lifelong fans of the computer game had many actors in mind for Joel, even though Ackles eventually didn’t land the part. Ackles’ Supernatural co-stars Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Misha Collins, Josh Brolin, Oscar Isaac, and Travis Fimmel were among the actors that fans wished to see in the part. Although many people applauded Pascal’s casting, there was also a quick reaction, especially from those who believed Pascal didn’t look sufficiently like Joel did in the video game. However, fresh screenshots and teasers for The Last of Us appear to have calmed criticism since they demonstrated how effectively Pascal can portray Joel.