LESS than a week after it was announced that he would be joining the second season of HBO’s The Last of Us, Young Mazino is set to start filming the show’s continuation in two weeks.
During the Emmys red carpet, Mazino spoke to Variety about landing the role of Jesse in the show and the preparation that will be going into it.
“After the strike ended, I was able to get a meeting with the show runners and we kind of just shopped it up. I played the video game before the meeting and we had a long talk about their process and what they’re looking for,” the actor said.
He further cites the success of Netflix’s Beef, which landed him a nomination in the outstanding supporting actor in a limited or anthology series or movie category, as a factor in nabbing the role.
“That’s the beauty of where I’m getting to now. It’s a conversation more than an audition process.” On his experience playing the game, Mazino called it “phenomenal”.
He also revealed that preparation for the role includes learning horseback riding and firearms training. “I haven’t met Pedro Pascal or Bella Ramsey, I have messaged Bella, but I haven’t had the pleasure of talking to them, but I will soon.”
In The Last of Us Part II video game, which the second season of the show will adapt, Jesse is a new major character that is part of the community that franchise leads Joel (Pascal) and Ellie (Ramsey) have become a part of.
The teaser for the new season is that Jesse joins Ellie on a daunting revenge mission after their community suffers a great loss.
