‘The Last of Us’ Guest Star Joe Pantoliano on Filming That Heartbreaking Final Scene and Forgetting Pedro Pascal

Caution: Contains Spoilers! This narrative reveals plot points from the sixth episode of Season 2 of “The Last of Us,” currently available for viewing on Max.

When Joe Pantoliano initially learned from his representatives that he’d been offered a part in Season 2 of “The Last of Us”, he wasn’t familiar with the HBO show or even the video games it’s adapted from. At first, he believed the offer was for a completely different series.

“Pantoliano initially believed this was ‘This Is Us,’ as Ken Olin, an executive producer on it, is an old friend of his. Thrilled at the thought, he exclaimed, ‘Oh, fantastic, I adore Ken!’ However, upon reading the script, he swiftly recognized his error since ‘This Is Us’ concluded in 2022. Instead, he found this role to be quite demanding.”

Veteran actor Pantoliano is accustomed to taking on pivotal yet brief roles. Known for his Emmy-winning performance on HBO’s “The Sopranos,” he has appeared in over 140 films and TV shows since the 70s, ranging from “M*A*S*H” and “The Goonies” to “The Matrix” and the “Bad Boys” series. Typically, his roles offer significant impact despite limited screen time. This pattern holds true for his role in Episode 6 of “The Last of Us,” where he portrays Eugene, a character introduced during the Season 2 premiere in a therapy session with Joel (Pedro Pascal), Gail (Catherine O’Hara). During this session, we learn that Joel was responsible for Eugene’s death.

In Episode 6, we delve into the strained bond between Joel and Ellie that transpired during the five years separating Season 1 and Season 2. During this first patrol with Ellie, they encounter Eugene, a man bitten by an infected, with mere hours left before he succumbs to the cordyceps fungus. The guidelines set by the council in Jackson, Wyoming mandate immediate termination for such cases, but Eugene pleads with Joel and Ellie for one final moment with Gail at the city’s outskirts. Despite his initial refusal, Ellie manages to persuade Joel to bend the rules for Eugene. Before she goes to fetch their horses, she makes Joel swear not to hurt Eugene; however, Joel has no intention of honoring this pledge.

Instead, he guides Eugene to a serene location near the tranquil mountain lake, and informs him that he’ll convey any final messages Eugene might have for Gail prior to taking his life.

“Last words for her?!” Eugene screams. “No, no, no. I need her last words! For me!”

During an interview with EbMaster concerning the episode, Joey Pants (as Pantoliano is fondly called by fans, friends, and peers) discloses that Pascal wasn’t present on set when he delivered those lines. He additionally discusses creating a fully-fledged character using only a handful of scenes, why he hasn’t viewed any part of “The Last of Us” up until now — and the incident when Pascal first encountered him.

How did “The Last of Us” creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann, who directed the episode, explain the show and your role to you?

You learn about the world’s history and how events led to the present. Surviving up to this point, then observing the aftermath without a visual cue, and later stepping into your first day of work, where you found yourself in a stunning forest. The lighting, machine-induced fog, and overall realism made the experience feel incredibly lifelike. Unlike typical CGI sets with green screens, this felt more authentic, much like acting on stage where you focus on portraying emotions. In this case, being immersed in the actual environment aided the performance.

Have had a chance to watch any of “The Last of Us” since you’ve shot it?

Instead of the original text, you could rephrase it as follows:

Apparently, they were meant to send the episode last night, but it seems they did. I’ve received the episode, but I don’t know how to watch it. To do so, I need an app, which I’ve installed, but I can’t play it on my large screen; instead, it’s only viewable on my phone. Frankly, I don’t want to watch it on this small device, and technology seems unaccommodating for senior citizens.

We hear a lot about Eugene on the show before we ever see him. Did you know all of that about him before you started shooting?

Of course, but let me rephrase that for you:

“No, but that’s typically how it goes. The person tells me, ‘Hey, it’s not a major role, but they constantly mention you.’ So I was completely unaware of the whole situation. I mean, the special effects makeup crew, that’s an operation in itself. The artists and their craftsmanship, the precision – it’s truly remarkable. And the amount of time it takes to complete all that work!

What was it like working with Bella and Pedro?

Approximately five years past, I unfortunately experienced a two-car crash at my intersection. My vehicle was struck sideways (T-boned), resulting in a concussion which necessitated a hospital stay. Consequently, certain aspects of my life have become blurred due to this incident.

It seems Bella appeared in “Game of Thrones,” isn’t that correct? Unfortunately, I don’t have HBO to watch it. Even during my time on “The Sopranos,” I didn’t have HBO. However, I’ve recognized and appreciated Pedro’s acting skills. When Craig and Neil invited me onto the set, I ran into Bella and exchanged greetings. Then, I saw Pedro, and before I could even say a word, he enthusiastically greeted me with “Joey Pants! Joey Pants!” giving me a warm hug and kiss. He asked about my well-being, leaving me surprised.

Bella starred in “Game of Thrones,” but I didn’t watch it since I don’t have HBO, even when I was on “The Sopranos.” I knew Pedro from his work and admired him as a good actor. When I met them both on set, Pedro excitedly greeted me with a hug and kiss, calling me “Joey Pants” and asking about my well-being. This left me astonished.

Regardless of any head injury, the passage of time and meeting numerous individuals can make one forget if they’ve collaborated before. For instance, there might be someone who visited your home or apartment, yet you don’t recall working together. This was the case with Pedro, whom I remembered but who had transformed significantly over 25 years. When we reconnected, it felt as though no time had elapsed, save for his meteoric rise to fame. Interestingly, Pedro could be recognized from a distance, whereas it takes people longer to identify me. Later in the day, Pedro shared a photo of us during our play reading, and I was astounded by the reminder of that person. It was truly wonderful to reconnect with him, and we even went out for dinner together.

Since Eugene goes through the cordyceps infection, how much of that was explained to you?

Although it was explained to me, I can’t seem to recall the details. Instead, I focused more on what mattered most to me at the time. Essentially, I found myself in a situation where I had been bitten and was supposed to be terminated, but I had certain requests that weren’t unreasonable. So, I channeled my efforts into trying to persuade them to fulfill these last requests of mine.

Are you the kind of actor who prefers to build out like a backstory for your characters?

The script is so well-written that it’s nearly impossible to mess up. All the essential questions are already answered: Who am I? Where am I? What do I want? Where do I come from? This setup feels natural, and the characters Bella and Pedro give off a sense of long-standing relationship. Being a guest actor can be challenging, but these performers made it feel welcoming, reducing some of the usual anxiety that comes with the role, even though a certain level of character-related anxiety is beneficial.

You’ve built a career of giving incredible performances where you have to establish who that person is very quickly. Are there things that you most often find yourself focusing on to do that?

Much of the tasks I undertook were primarily to provide for my kids and cover our rent expenses. Consequently, a significant portion of it remained undeveloped and unwritten, but these projects still provided me with a good income that helped me advance in my career. This habit of mine was to add depth to one-dimensional characters. However, this project was exceptionally emotionally taxing.

When Eugene screams that he doesn’t need to give his last words to Gail, he needs Gail’s last words for him, that really broke my heart. Can you talk about filming that moment?

As a film critic, I’ve often found myself in the hot seat under Neil’s watchful eye. A brilliant director, he had this knack for repeating one word: “Again.” Over and over again, he pushed me to perfect each take. Little did I know, those seemingly mundane scenes would lead to an emotional rollercoaster.

In this movie, I played a character who made the unthinkable choice – the brutal act of taking my own family’s lives. My loyal dogs were there too, adding a heart-wrenching layer to the scene. The cast included loved ones lost and gained, everyone drawn into this intense narrative.

The scene where Joel shoots Eugene is at this beautiful mountain lake. Did they actually find a real spot that was that idyllic?

The location was discovered initially, but on the specified day, an infestation of newly-hatched insects emerged. Before we could proceed with the intended scene, we had to film a conversation sequence elsewhere first. Following this, there was approximately a half-mile trek uphill that everyone found themselves traversing. As they walked, complaints about the bugs echoed through the group: “We can’t shoot now, there are insects!” To protect themselves from these creatures, the crew donned beekeeping suits. I questioned their motives, assuming they were referring to bees, but was informed that the pests in question were minuscule and harmless; rather, they were plentiful in number. Consequently, it was decided that we would not film the scene as planned and instead opt for computer-generated imagery (CGI). However, I fell ill soon after, contracting flu part B, which prevented me from returning to shoot my scenes. By the time we filmed the final sequence, Pedro’s segments had already been captured, so I used a stand-in. I felt disappointed that I couldn’t complete the project alongside him. Acting indeed can be challenging!

This interview has been edited and condensed.

2025-05-19 05:17