‘The Last Of Us’ Original Ellie Actor Ashley Johnson On Her Role As Ellie’s Mother, Hanging Out With Bella Ramsey, And Excitement For Season 2
13.03.2023 - 05:31
/ deadline.com
SPOILER ALERT: The story includes details about Episode 9 of HBO’s The Last Of Us.
Even in the Season 1 finale of The Last of Us, bosses Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann had one more surprise in store. The introduction of Ellie’s (Bella Ramsey) mother, Anna, played by none other than Ashley Johnson, who originated the role of Ellie Williams in the video game series, is quite a big deal. In the game, not much is known about Ellie’s mom, Anna, as she died shortly after giving birth to Ellie. Nor do players know why Ellie has immunity to the Cordyceps infection. In deviating from the original source material, Mazin and Druckmann, further enrich the world and lore of The Last of Us. In the show, Mazin and Druckmann provide eagle-eyed gamers, and general viewing audiences, with answers to Ellie’s mysterious immunity by showing us a brief glimpse at the final moments of Anna’s life that got cut short by a rogue encounter with an infected person, which having been bit just mere moments before cutting Ellie’s umbilical cord, seems to allude to why she has natural immunity.
Here Johnson talks about her new role in the series, watching Bella Ramsey, and her excitement for Season 2.
DEADLINE: This year marks the 10th anniversary of The Last of Us video game, along with the third anniversary of the game sequel. And considering that you’ve originated the role of Ellie in arguably one of the most iconic characters in video game history, how has it been stepping into this world for you, or has it felt like you never really left?
ASHLEY JOHNSON: There’s a part of me that’s never really left. And I think so much of that is because games take so long to make. Especially the second game; I think that was over four years, maybe five. So,