The Last Of Us’ Pedro Pascal says Mandalorian similarities are “a fun fantasy to fulfill” for him

Is Pedro Pascal getting typecast as the older, stronger protector for a young, vulnerable charge? If so, he doesn’t mind at all. Despite surface-level similarities between the titular character on The Mandalorian and the character Joel in The Last Of Us adaptation (premiering January 15, 2023 on HBO), Pascal “wanted the part so badly it literally scared him that it might not work out,” according to a new feature on the series in The Hollywood Reporter.

The actor tells the outlet that the comparison between Joel and The Mandalorian “definitely came to mind,” but “as I [got familiar with the game], I noticed there are so many things I’ve seen that visually or thematically reference The Last of Us. Like [the 2017 X-Men movie] Logan. And yes, the trope has been used in so many different ways—you can go back to [the manga series] Lone Wolf and Cub, you can go to Paper Moon. But as far as Mandalorian and The Last of Us existing in close proximity, for me, it’s the best double-dipping I could possibly imagine.”

For the record, co-showrunner Craig Mazin disagrees that the two are the same: “The Mandalorian is interacting with a mute, adorable creature—and I love that show. But interacting with a teenager is complicated. Also, the fact they have him covered in a helmet is a huge factor.”

Fair enough, but Pascal can see the throughline in his own performances. “There is something interesting there,” he says. “You start to recognize a thread between your characters that you didn’t necessarily look for, but got cast in. I don’t have kids. I’ve only learned through these characters how painfully vulnerable one becomes and how much your life depends on their life being OK. It’s a fun fantasy to fulfill, and I’ll play as many dads as I can get.”