John Goodman, Laura Bailey and Ian Alexander Join 'The Last of Us' Season 3

By Tom Whitfield

John Goodman, Laura Bailey and Ian Alexander will join the Season 3 cast of HBO's "The Last of Us," the network drama confirmed in its latest casting announcement. The season is expected to return to HBO next year, and it may be the show's final one.

Goodman plays Joey, one half of a duo that calls itself the "Heroes of the Highway" in the postapocalyptic series based on Sony's PlayStation franchise. Alexander takes the role of Paco, the other half of that pair.

The pairing carries weight for the show's fan base. Alexander previously played Lev in "The Last of Us: Part II" video game and appeared as Buck Vu in the Netflix series "The OA." Bailey played Abby in "The Last of Us: Part II" — a central and divisive role in the game's story. On screen she will play Elizabeth, one of the leaders of the Seraphites, the religious sect familiar to players of the second game.

Bailey's recent credits include voice work as Mary Jane Watson in the 2023 "Spider-Man 2" video game and roles in "The Legend of Vox Machina."

Who else is in the season?

The three newcomers join a roster HBO had already announced:

• Clea Duvall
• Patrick Wilson
• Jason Ritter
• Jorge Lendeborg Jr.
• Michelle Mao
• Kyriana Kratter

Returning cast includes Kaitlyn Dever, Bella Ramsey, Isabella Merced, Gabriel Luna and Jeffrey Wright. Ariela Barer, Tati Gabrielle and Spencer Lord have been promoted to series regulars for Season 3.

What does the casting change for the show?

For viewers, it signals how far HBO is willing to lean on actors rooted in the source material. Two of the three new names — Bailey and Alexander — come directly from the games, which suggests the season will draw on territory the second game mapped in detail. What it does not signal is the show's future beyond this run; HBO has said only that Season 3 "may be" the last, and no decision has been announced.

There is a second structural change worth noting. Neil Druckmann, who co-created the series with Craig Mazin and created the games, is exiting the show ahead of Season 3. Mazin becomes sole showrunner and will also write and executive produce. A change of that kind usually alters a series' voice, though how much will not be clear until episodes air.

Goodman's schedule

Goodman also plays President Compson in "Digger," the Tom Cruise film that opens Oct. 2. He is represented by Gersh; Alexander by Curate; Bailey by CAA.

The series is co-produced by HBO and Sony Pictures Television, with executive producers Carolyn Strauss, Jacqueline Lesko, Cecil O'Connor, Asad Qizilbash, Carter Swan and Evan Wells. PlayStation Productions, Word Games, Mighty Mint and Naughty Dog produce.

The announcements answer one question — who is in the season — while leaving the larger one open. Whether Season 3 closes the story, and how the show reads without Druckmann in the writers' room, will only become visible when the series returns next year.