Nick Offerman

2023 - 1 - 29

Murray Bartlett - The Last of Us Episode 3 - bill and frank last of us - bill the last of us - last of us episode 3

Post cover — Image courtesy of "Rolling Stone"

'The Last of Us' Presents an Achingly Beautiful Gay Love Story (Rolling Stone)

Nick Offerman and Murray Bartlett shine as a couple who remind us what it means to be human, in the HBO series' extraordinary third episode.

What a fabulous, fabulous episode of television, down to that final image of the bedroom window Bill left open so that the home he and Frank made together would not be tainted by the smell of what they have become after death. Bill at first seems to be taking pity on Frank by inviting him in for dinner, but it’s clear almost immediately that he is taking pleasure in both the company and the chance to show off his skills as a host. “There is no girl.” In that exchange, we understand that this is a part of himself Bill was terrified to show the world in the before times. It would be a blast, after all, to have Bill travel with them for a while, or even to just get one scene between the four of them. It’s clear that Frank would have loved Ellie, and it’s not hard to imagine Bill developing a thinly-veiled respect for her in a hurry. But Frank — who seems a very social creature, and quite taken with Bill even before recognizing his host’s deep secret — does, indeed, want him, and not just because he knows that life in this house would be pretty sweet. Soon he has a heavily-protected compound with vegetables growing in the garden, chickens to provide eggs and other forms of protein, and no one to bother him. The soldiers finish clearing out the town, or so they believe, because Bill is the kind of hardcore doomsday prepper who has a bunker hidden below his basement for just this eventuality(*). (*) My understanding is that Frank is already dead when Joel and Ellie encounter Bill, while Bill is played by the great character actor W. And just as The Mandalorian could get away with casting [Timothy Olyphant](https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-features/timothy-olyphant-deadwood-interview-835207/) as Jetpack Raylan Givens because nobody plays that archetype better, The Last of Us gets enormous value out of the shorthand that comes from, for instance, inviting Offerman to play a slightly less cartoonish and infinitely more damaged version of [Ron Swanson](https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/captain-america-why-ron-swanson-from-parks-and-recreation-is-the-angry-white-dudes-ultimate-hero-92862/). Ellie is a lot more verbal than [Grogu](https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-recaps/mandalorian-recap-season-2-episode-5-jedi-baby-yoda-name-1095806/) (just as Joel is a whole lot more expressive than Mando), but it’s a similar contrast of taciturn combat-readiness and childlike wonder. [Tess gone](https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-recaps/the-last-of-us-season-1-episode-2-recap-hbo-anna-torv-tess-death-1234661763/) — though she appears in flashbacks later in this episode — the series is leaning harder than ever on the Lone Wolf and Cub dynamic between Joel and Ellie that [Pedro Pascal](https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-features/game-of-thrones-pedro-pascal-on-playing-the-red-viper-189463/) already has some familiarity with from his work on [The Mandalorian](https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-recaps/mandalorian-season-2-finale-rescue-recap-1105641/).

The Last of Us: Nick Offerman Explains Episode 3's Surprise Romance (Hollywood Reporter)

Nick Offerman and Murray Bartlett interviewed about that unexpected romantic detour in 'The Last of Us' episode 3.

It’s a testament to the beautiful writing and crafting of this show that it gives space for this which makes it even more powerful. That final moment allows you to remember all the things you’ve seen of this relationship, rather than confining it to a final image of these people. Bill is such a survivalist and such a pragmatist that making the decision to end his life is sort of the ultimate sacrifice for his character – not just as an act of love, but that it goes against everything we knew about his nature until they met. And because the scenes that we’re playing are so beautiful, I love those scenes. Murray Bartlett: You want to be authentically believable in whatever you’re doing, so I was hyper aware and obsessive about trying to get those details right. I’m not a gamer, so I wasn’t familiar with the game, but I am a huge fan of Chernobyl, which was one of the best pieces of television I had ever seen. And I don’t have a lot of vanity. It seems like the more that time passes in Hollywood, both actors and audiences have gotten, oddly enough, less comfortable with portraying sex and intimacy on screen. Nick Offerman: You don’t put a gun on the stage if you don’t intend to see it fired. Or is it only the situation which makes the viewers so uncertain about him? Craig said, “Here’s the script and, and you get to do this with Murray Bartlett.” I just said [to myself[, “Please don’t fuck this up. [Nick Offerman](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/t/nick-offerman/)) and affable traveler Frank (The White Lotus‘ [Murray Bartlett](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/t/murray-bartlett/)) who become lovers that successfully fend off the horrors of the outside world across a 20-year partnership.

'The Last of Us': Nick Offerman talks survivalist Bill's zombie kills ... (USA TODAY)

Nick Offerman talks going next level as survivalist Bill in "The Last of Us." Bill's lonely life changes with the arrival of Frank (Murray Bartlett).

What bottle of fine wine does Bill choose for their last meal? [Nick Offerman](https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/movies/2018/06/15/nick-offerman-ultimate-fathers-day-guide/704178002/) fits the role of Bill as snugly as the gas mask the survivalist dons in HBO's [ "The Last of Us." It was a blast and scary. To me, that's a pretty disposable thought. It's about taking care of one another, selflessness, and committing to be together through the screaming matches. But I happen to be married to someone who's done many Broadway musicals. We have a meal, share some time at the piano and some time in the bedroom and then it slams out the door with us screaming at each other in the street. "It's like, 'Let's just take a second and focus on what actually makes life worth living.' The episode answers questions: 'Why should we give a (expletive)? Exactly where does the love start? And he relishes watching zombies get smoked in his traps. It's the greatest script I've ever been handed. But his comfortable existence within his personal fenced fortress is challenged by trespassing traveler Frank (

Before 'The Last of Us,' 'Devs' Proved That Nick Offerman Could Go ... (Collider.com)

Before playing Bill in The Last of Us, Nick Offerman took on another reclusive and mysterious role as Forest in Devs.

Those that missed out on Devs will certainly be surprised to see what a capable dramatic actor Offerman is during his appearances in The Last of Us. Bill’s backstory is one of the key emotional moments, as he explains the death of his partner to Joel. However, Devs proved that he could slowly unravel a complex character in order to deliver a surprising, and absolutely unforgettable dramatic performance. The “Devs” program allows Forest to access memories and recreate moments from the past, but he can’t stop himself from replaying a single moment over and over again. Similar to the empathy that The Last of Us fans felt for Bill when he parted ways with Joel, Offerman is able to make us recognize, yet not approve of Forest’s actions. [The Last of Us stood out because of its emotional impact](https://collider.com/the-last-of-us-must-haves-for-hbo-series/); players got to experience the same emotional journey of a film as they worked their way through the story. [Devs](https://collider.com/tag/devs/) centers on the software engineer Lily Chan ( [Sonoya Mizuno](https://collider.com/tag/sonoya-mizuno/)), who goes out in search of her boyfriend Sergei Pavlov (Karl Glusman) after he mysteriously disappears. However, the simple cadence of Offerman’s voice carries so much conviction that it’s easy to see that Forest believes that he is above everyone else. It’s a masterful dramatic performance that draws the viewers’ attention to the screen, even when Garland’s writing is a little obtuse. In Devs, Forest speaks in such obscure terminology about his mysterious projection project that it’s unclear as to what he’s actually doing. In the first episode, Sergei questions Forest on the protocol and duties involved with his coveted new position. However, one name that might raise a few eyebrows is [Nick Offerman](https://collider.com/tag/nick-offerman/), who is best known for his hilariously endearing role as Ron Swanson in Parks and Recreation.

“The Last Of Us” Shows Us New Shades Of Nick Offerman (BuzzFeed News)

The actor's latest guest role is beautifully against type. (Mild spoilers for the latest episode.)

He has protested that fans who think Ron would have voted for Trump have fundamentally misunderstood “the wholesome and decent values of our show and my character,” and he [seems bewildered](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/features/nick-offerman-interview-ron-swanson-b1947949.html) by others’ assumption that he has a “weird, Fox News” value system in real life. [comedy shows](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtoiSCBEh-k) and [podcasts](https://www.earwolf.com/show/in-bed-with-nick-offerman-and-megan-mullally/) together. He runs a [woodshop](https://offermanwoodshop.com/) where he sometimes hosts [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gh6H7Md_L2k) [tours](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIA2Xl8P7Es), and he calls woodworking his “ [other first love](https://www.outsideonline.com/culture/love-humor/nick-offerman-column-thoreau-candy-ass/)” aside from acting. He’s a talented carpenter who can build himself a canoe (and has), but he’ll only use lumber from felled trees, so as to protect local ecosystems from the destructive consequences of deforestation. [When asked](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbZmhgtZkdg) to give an opinion on a drone that could deliver pizza, he muses that he’s accustomed to modern luxuries just like anyone else, but that “we forget to ask questions like ‘Who’s making this pizza? He’s [written](https://nickofferman.co/books/paddle-your-own-canoe/) [books](https://nickofferman.co/books/where-the-deer-and-the-antelope-play/) about his country-life upbringing in Joliet, Illinois, and his road trips across America’s national parks. [red meat](https://nickofferman.substack.com/p/bacon-needs-no-help), and [dark liquor](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LS-ErOKpO4E), and a deep mistrust for government overreach. His marriage to fellow comedian Megan Mullally, with whom he frequently collaborates, has been a cornerstone of his image for years. Bill’s story arc may seem like a complete subversion of Offerman’s public image, but in truth, his loving heart has been on full display all along. His first book, 2013’s Paddle Your Own Canoe, included diagrams of acceptable cuts of meat (all pork and beef, no poultry or seafood) and styles of facial hair (yes to bushy, no to funny), in the vein of the famous [Swanson Pyramid of Greatness](https://www.nbcstore.com/products/parks-and-recreation-swanson-pyramid-of-greatness-poster). [Outside magazine](https://www.outsideonline.com/byline/nick-offerman/) with tales of trapping raccoons and defending Thoreau. When Bill first appears on the latest episode of The Last of Us, he’s just a shadow in a basement.

Nick Offerman, Murray Bartlett defy stereotypes, expectations in ... (Calgary Herald)

There were times on the set of HBO's The Last of Us when members of the Alberta crew would ask Nick Offerman technical questions about things that are ...

Neither genre has historically been known for giving depth or even much screen time to queer characters. The episode was largely shot in High River, which is transformed into an abandoned but oddly idyllic small-town community for the pair. I can finally be happy with all of my systems and all of my intricate survival techniques.’ But I think what we learn is when you crack that hard outer shell, the centre of it is the seed of vulnerability. One day, a survivor named Frank, played by Bartlett, falls into one of his traps. He also wrote the foreword for something called The Tool Book: A Tool Lover’s Guide to More than 200 Hand Tools. Article content

Nick Offerman's Flirty Hair Flip in 'The Last of Us' Saved Me From ... (Jezebel)

It was a cute, extremely relatable moment in one of the most incredible, heartbreaking episodes of television I've ever seen.

Watching this facade both strengthen and crumble the second he meets Frank (Murray Bartlett) was just a drop in the bucket of why this is one of the best-ever episodes of television. The episode is filled with similar tiny and heartwarming moments, with Linda Ronstadt’s “Long, Long Time” as the soundtrack throughout. Bill and Frank meet after Frank stumbles onto Bill’s property (four years after the start of the pandemic) and falls into one of his booby traps. And we’re catapulted into their 15-year epic love story that is so beautiful, so touching, so devastating, I question if I’ve ever even known a love story before this. Fans of the video game (on which the series is based) kind of knew what was coming—but I ended my weekend in a pool of tears and snot, desperately scrolling through Twitter so I could laugh at some silly tweets in an attempt to stave off a full-blown emotional breakdown. [made up of Nazis](https://twitter.com/proudbugman/status/1620108056163143680) and who evades his small town’s military-mandated evacuation by hiding out in a bunker he’s constructed beneath his basement.