Pedro Pascal Nearly Lost Lead Role in 'The Last of Us' to Matthew McConaughey, According to Showrunner

Showrunner Craig Mazin initially spoke with Matthew McConaughey about playing Joel Miller.
Pascal was ultimately cast in the role of Joel Miller, though he was originally unavailable.
The show has been a critical and commercial success since debuting in January 2023.
The show nearly had a different season finale but stuck to the ending of the original video game.
Pascal and showrunner Mazin bonded over a successful Zoom call, leading to Pascal's casting.