How The Last Of Us Episode 4’s Iconic Ellie-Dina Scene Came Together

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In The Last of Us Part 2, one memorable scene features Ellie performing an unexpected concert for Dina, playing A-ha’s ’80s hit “Take On Me.” When mapping out Season 2, showrunner Craig Mazin intended to incorporate this moment authentically. Fans finally witnessed this scene reenacted in Episode 4 with Bella Ramsey and Isabela Merced portraying their respective characters.

On Sony’s Creator to Creator platform, Mazin, Ramsey, Merced, along with their fellow cast members Gabriela Luna and Young Mazino, discussed the initial stages of production and casting. They also emphasized their efforts to make crucial scenes as faithful to the game as possible.

As a devoted fan, I couldn’t help but eagerly anticipate the inclusion of the music shop scene, as it held a profound significance for me and left an indelible impression.

Mazin made it clear that it was Ramsey who played and sang the song on their own: “Bella put in all this impressive effort because they are quite skilled at playing guitar and singing while strumming…I play guitar, but I’m not as talented. Therefore, you must have spent a lot of time practicing. They walk in and perform flawlessly, but it makes you think ‘now you need to be average.’ You have to pretend to be mediocre. This is particularly true for the initial part where Ellie plays solo until Dina joins in.

Luna discussed the segment in the game requiring you to employ the controller’s touchpad for strumming, which synchronizes with the notes to trigger different scenes. He mentioned that he played a few of his tunes using this method and was curious if Ramsey had done so too, given they both compose their own music.

Regarding that moment specifically, Ramsey shared with Merced, “It brought back memories of seeing your emotional response, which was simply captivating. On that particular day, your feelings seemed incredibly raw and genuine. Watching your reaction to it, even off-camera, made the day truly memorable and quite unique.

Merced concurred, expressing, “I believe you carry the spirit of an elderly person, and when one has an ancient soul, it can occasionally surface, even if they’re young. When you sing, I feel like your voice resonates deeply within me, stirring emotions so strong that it was difficult to hold back tears in that moment.

New episodes of The Last of Us air Sundays at at 6 PM PT / 9 PM ET on HBO and Max.

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2025-05-06 00:09