John Goodman and Others Board 'The Last of Us' Season 3
The Last of Us Season 3 has added John Goodman, Ian Alexander, and Laura Bailey to its cast. Bella Ramsey and Kaitlyn Dever are set to return as Ellie and Abby. The casting news was shared on The Last of Us Day.
HBO revealed the Season 3 additions on September 26, timed to “The Last of Us Day,” which marks the cordyceps outbreak in both the series and its game source. Goodman will portray Joey, paired with Alexander’s Paco as a self-described “Heroes of the Highway”; Bailey will play Elizabeth, a Seraphite leader. Ramsey and Dever are confirmed to reprise Ellie and Abby.
Goodman’s casting arrives as his film Digger reaches theaters October 2. The Emmy winner for Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip has drawn Oscar attention for playing President Compson in Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s latest feature.
The casting may heighten anticipation among fans of the game and series, potentially boosting HBO subscriptions and online discussion around Season 3. It could also draw new attention to Goodman’s film work and to performers Alexander and Bailey. For the broader streaming and television landscape, high-profile genre casting may reinforce the value of event television, though actual audience effects remain uncertain until release.