The Last of Us Season 2: Cast, Characters, and Shifting Alliances

The Last of Us Season 2: What’s New and Who’s Returning?

The wait is over—The Last of Us Season 2 dropped on April 13, 2025, waking up a world of fans itching to see what’s next for Joel and Ellie. This time, the story fast-forwards five years after that explosive hospital rescue from Season 1. Now, life has settled into a tense routine in the snow-brushed town of Jackson, Wyoming—but the scars run deep, and fresh faces shake up the stale calm.

Right out of the gate, Pedro Pascal is back as Joel Miller. Gone is the constantly-on-edge survivor from the early outbreak years; now, Joel faces the weight of his past choices, guilt tied up tight around his heart. He’s haunted—there’s no escaping it. If you know Pascal from The Mandalorian or his moment in Game of Thrones, you know he pulls off that brooding presence like nobody else.

Bella Ramsey returns as Ellie Williams, who’s all grown up at 19. Her immunity should have made her humanity’s hope, but it’s complicated. She now owns her emotional armor, borrowing from Joel’s toughness, yet she’s also open to new relationships and exploring who she is beyond the apocalypse. If you haven’t caught her in Catherine Called Birdy, her acting range is only getting deeper here.

Don’t sleep on Gabriel Luna and Rutina Wesley as Tommy and Marie, either. They function as Jackson’s quietly powerful core, shaping the community with every tough call. Luna, who you might remember from Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., really digs into Tommy’s internal tug-of-war between loyalty to Joel and responsibility to the people of Jackson. Wesley, of True Blood fame, brings Marie’s no-nonsense authority while still keeping things human when everything feels like it might collapse.

Fresh Faces, New Tensions, and Deeper Stories

The new blood this season takes the show in bold directions. The action gets a jolt with Kaitlyn Dever stepping in as Abby, the driven soldier out for vengeance. Her arrival isn’t just more muscle; her motives gun straight for Joel, throwing old moral lines into a blender. If you’ve seen her in Booksmart or Ticket to Paradise, the intensity here is unlike anything she’s done before.

With things falling apart inside Joel’s mind, Catherine O’Hara appears as Gail, a therapist trained to unpick trauma even when the world is falling apart. Yes, this is the very same O’Hara from Schitt’s Creek and Home Alone—and she adds a touch of sharp wit and empathy to every scene she’s in.

Isabela Merced joins as Dina, Ellie’s girlfriend. Their relationship serves as a real anchor for Ellie, steering her toward hope and personal growth when everything else seems like it’s against her. The chemistry’s there, and their bond becomes a key part of how Ellie faces what’s coming. And then there’s Jesse, played by Young Mazino from Beef. He’s not just comic relief—his loyalty and presence in Ellie’s circle make the group’s survival feel even more personal and raw.

This season isn’t just about the headliners. Danny Ramirez (Captain America: Brave New World), Ariela Barer (How to Blow Up a Pipeline), Tati Gabrielle (Uncharted), and Jeffrey Wright (Westworld) also join the fold. Each brings extra flavor, pushing Jackson’s day-to-day struggles and alliances into new territory. With every addition, the world feels broader, and the stakes higher.

It’s not all personal drama, either. The ragged line between survivor and monster blurs even more as new threats—both human and infected—creep closer to the settlement. Joel’s choices cast a long shadow, and Abby’s quest for payback grabs everyone in her path. The season keeps hammering away at loyalty, guilt, survival, and the question that won’t go away: Can anyone really move on from what they’ve done?