The Last Of Us Part 2 Actors Officially Join The TV Series

Published Sep 26, 2026, 12:10 PM EDT George is the Lead News Editor for TheGamer, and has been working in the industry since 2021 after graduating from the University of South Wales with a bachelor's degree in Journalism. He has also previously written for RPG Site, WhatCulture, and PlayStation Lifestyle. George is an expert on platformers, action games, and fighters, but tends to play as many releases as possible. This hands-on experience lets him dive into gaming communities and follow the latest trends. Some of the games George has extensively covered first-hand include Dead Rising, Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero, Assassin's Creed Shadows, and Ninja Gaiden 4. The actor behind Abby in The Last of Us Part 2, the wonderful Laura Bailey, has been cast in the third season of the HBO Max show as an entirely new character, alongside Lev’s original actor. Although HBO’s The Last of Us does make some pretty big changes to the games that it’s based on (such as the outbreak’s origins, spores, and even the iconic porch scene), it’s mostly respectful of the source material. One of the main ways it likes to honour what came before it is by bringing back some of the game’s main actors. The show’s first season notably brought back both of Joel and Ellie’s original actors, Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson, for new roles, as well as Jeffrey Pierce, the original voice of Tommy. With that in mind, everyone has wondered whether Laura Bailey, who played Abby in the games, would end up crossing over as well. Laura Bailey And Ian Alexander Will Appear In The Last Of Us Season 3 Bailey Ironically Plays A Seraphite Leader As reported by Variety, the third season of The Last of Us has recently cast three new actors, including John Goodman as Joey, one half of the “Heroes of the Highway” duo. As great as Goodman is, though, the real highlight comes with two actors who are returning from The Last of Us Part 2 - Laura Bailey and Ian Alexander. Laura Bailey, who gave a masterclass performance as Abby in the game and had to deal with some truly toxic people, will be playing Elizabeth, one of the leaders of the Seraphites. It’s a little ironic considering the Seraphites are the main faction that Abby finds herself up against in the games, and now her original actor is portraying one of their leaders. Ian Alexander, the actor behind the equally wonderful Lev in The Last of Us Part 2, has been cast as Paco, the second half of the aforementioned “Heroes of the Highway duo”. There’s no irony here, but it is great to see Alexander coming back to the series in any role, especially next to a legend like Goodman. The Last of Us season three is expected to start streaming at some point in 2027, although considering HBO’s boss, Casey Bloys, doesn’t know when the show is set to end, it seems like specific dates are still up in the air. For now, we can at least look to Bailey and Alexander’s return to the series. The Last of Us Release Date January 15, 2023 Network HBO Showrunner Craig Mazin Directors Craig Mazin, Peter Hoar, Jeremy Webb, Ali Abbasi, Mark Mylod, Stephen Williams, Jasmila Žbanić, Liza Johnson, Nina Lopez-Corrado Cast Bella Ramsey Ellie Williams