Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey join HBO's 'The Last Of Us'

The Mandalorian star Pedro Pascal has been cast in the lead role for HBO’s adaptation of the hit PlayStation game The Last Of Us.

The Chilean-American actor, 45, will play Joel in the TV version of the hugely popular video game. His Game Of Thrones co-star, 17-year-old Briton Bella Ramsey, will also appear in The Last Of Us as Ellie.

Neil Druckmann, director of The Last Of Us video game and co-executive producer of the TV series, said: “Stoked to have Pedro aboard our show!”

He added: “We’re absolutely thrilled to have Bella join the TLoU family!”

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The Last Of Us is set in a post-apocalyptic world where society has been destroyed by a pandemic.

Joel is a smuggler who is tasked with escorting Ellie, who may hold the key to ending the pandemic, out of an oppressive quarantine zone.

However, what starts as a small task soon turns into an epic journey across the US with the fate of humanity at stake.

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The game debuted on the PlayStation 3 in 2013 and won numerous game of the year awards. A sequel, The Last Of Us Part II, was released in 2020 to huge critical acclaim.

HBO’s TV adaptation will feature Chernobyl creator Craig Mazin as co-executive producer alongside Druckmann.

Ramsey rocketed to international fame after playing fiery noblewoman Lyanna Mormont on Game Of Thrones.

Pascal played Oberyn Martell on the sprawling fantasy programme.

He currently stars in the lead role in Disney+ Star Wars series The Mandalorian.