Mind-Blowing Revelation: Craig Mazin Almost Cast Matthew McConaughey Instead of Pedro Pascal in 'The Last of Us'

Matthew McConaughey and Pedro Pascal Matt Baron/Shutterstock; Chelsea Lauren/Shutterstock

Matthew McConaughey was once considered for the role of Joel in The Last of Us, according to cocreator Craig Mazin. However, Pedro Pascal ultimately secured the role in 2021. Mazin confirmed this speculation during a recent interview on the "Happy Sad Confused" podcast.

“I did talk to Matthew,” Mazin recalled. “I can’t say that it was a series [of conversations]. It was more of like, ‘Hey! Here’s something to talk about.'”

According to Craig Mazin, there were previous rumors suggesting that Mahershala Ali was being considered for the lead role in the HBO drama series 'The Last of Us'. However, Mazin clarified that he never had any discussions with Ali regarding the project.

Mazin and Neil Druckmann, the co-creators of the show, had always been interested in Pascal for the role. However, he was initially not able to film another TV show due to his current commitment as the titular character on The Mandalorian and his busy film schedule. Mazin shared that Pascal was on their list from the beginning but was informed that he was unavailable. However, their luck turned around when Mazin received a call from Pascal's agent, who informed them that he might actually be available.

Pascal and Bella Ramsey were confirmed as the actors for Joel and Ellie in February 2021. Fans had to wait almost two years to see their performances, which finally premiered in January and became HBO's second-largest debut ever. Shortly after the premiere, the network renewed the series for season 2.

Although Mazin was confident in Pascal's suitability for the role of Joel, the actor himself admitted earlier this year that he had initial reservations about accepting it. Pascal shared with Entertainment Tonight in January, "It quickly became evident just how much people loved the game and the experience of playing it. That was intimidating because you can become completely absorbed in a book or a series, but this takes it to the next level of immersing yourself in these characters."

“It’s quite unfortunate that I lack the necessary skill to play the game,” Pascal admitted to British GQ in April 2022, acknowledging the anticipation of fans to witness the show's adaptation of the story. He further revealed, "I did make an attempt, but it didn't take long before I had to pass it on to my nephew. It truly requires a certain expertise, one that I personally lack."