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The following post contains spoilers for the Season 2 premiere of The Last of Us.
Catherine O’Hara is experiencing a vibrant spring season, marked by notable recognition for her role in the Apple TV+ comedy series The Studio. Currently, she could also gain attention for her guest appearance in the much-anticipated second season of The Last of Us.
In the recent premiere episode of the HBO drama, it was disclosed that O’Hara embodies the character Gail, a therapist located in the settlement where Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) have made their home five years after the preceding season’s events. A surprising detail for fans of the game series is that Gail is married to Eugene, a character who was only briefly referenced in the game and met an off-screen demise.
Co-creator Craig Mazin expressed his excitement about the character’s development, stating, “Without getting too much into the spoiler territory, I’m particularly fond of picking out these little things from the game that stuck in my brain that maybe weren’t fully fleshed out,” in a conversation with Variety. He emphasized the connection between Eugene and this new character, highlighting how their narrative intertwines with Joel and Ellie’s journey, aiming to go beyond mere Easter eggs for fans.
During the premiere, Joel seeks therapy with Gail, following a recurring appointment, while grappling with his estrangement from Ellie. He struggles to reveal the truth about his violent actions against the Fireflies, the group that posed a threat to Ellie’s life by considering an operation to address the cordyceps outbreak. During their session, Gail confronts Joel regarding his involvement in Eugene’s death, implying potential circumstances surrounding Eugene’s fate, which viewers may see expanded in flashbacks later in the season. Joe Pantoliano guest stars as Eugene.
O’Hara reflected on her emotionally demanding time on set, stating, “I’ve never had to cry so much for so many takes. It was killer,” in an interview with Entertainment Weekly.
Should she receive an Emmy nomination for her role in The Last of Us, the premiere episode will likely be a key factor. The standout moment in her scene with Pascal has already garnered praise, with Mazin noting, “It’s one of my favorite scenes so far among both seasons, in no small part, because I got to watch these two legends at the top of their game talk.”
“They scheduled a full day for that scene,” O’Hara shared with Entertainment Weekly. “It was intense. It takes a lot of [film] coverage. Craig was just very clear. He really knows what he’s doing and what he wants to have happen. So you go there to someone’s show and you have to give yourself to them. I’m the interloper. So I just put myself in his hands and he guided me, and just gave me gentle but clear notes all day long with a sense of humor. Pedro, of course, was really fun to spend the day with and then very intense by the end where he’s defending his life for some reason. It was kind of scary because you want to do a good job joining someone’s great show like that. I wanted to rise to the occasion.”
The Last of Us airs on Sundays on HBO.
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www.goldderby.com