The Last of Us HBO Star Was Told Not to Play the Game

One of the lead stars of HBO’s adaptation of The Last of Us was told not to play the video game. Anyone who even casually plays video games likely knows all about The Last of Us. It’s one of the most acclaimed games in the medium and its sequel was the subject of plenty of controversy for weeks after release, so it’s hard to get away from people talking about it. Even those who don’t own PlayStations or the game itself have experienced the game through walkthroughs and livestreams, especially in the lead-up to the upcoming HBO TV series. However, HBO doesn’t want everyone to be aware of the game ahead of the show.

Actress Bella Ramsey, who plays Ellie in the TV series, told USA Today that she was asked by the producers of the show to not play the game. However, Ramsey couldn’t resist and watched some gameplay on YouTube to get a sense of what was going on. Still, it doesn’t sound like she’s seen or played the entire thing yet.

“I was actually encouraged not to [play it],” said Ramsey. “After my first audition, they asked me, “Have you played it?” And I said “nope,” and they said, “Keep it that way.” (Laughs.) I did watch some of the gameplay on YouTube just to get a sense of it. But I’m so excited for it to come out – it was such a big part of my life. I shot for a whole year, which is quite a long time when you’ve only lived for 19 years. Pedro wrote a little card to me at the end, saying, “How interesting that something so huge and life-changing should happen so early in your life and so late in mine.” I thought it was a really sweet observation and I just had the best time.”

Despite the fact she’s never played the game, it doesn’t look like it will matter too much. The first trailer for The Last of Us perfectly captures the tone and vibe of the game. As of right now, it remains to be seen if the full show will live up to the hype, but it’s certainly on the right track thus far.

The Last of Us premieres on HBO in 2023. What do you think of the upcoming show? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @Cade_Onder.