Troy Baker

Troy Baker, who originated the role of Joel in the 'Last of Us' video games, discusses his guest appearance as James in episode 8, 'When We Are in Need', ...

It’s now not just our story; it’s all of the people who have played this game and all of the people who have watched this show. There are things he says, especially about the Cordyceps: “It protects itself.” He takes something that we have clearly defined as the most horrific thing, which brought about the destruction of the world, and he goes, “Man, you gotta respect it. I need to make this character feel authentic and real enough for you to feel something. He can square his faith with cannibalism and with these pedophilic impulses that come out later in the episode. The second that little girl comes in here, his position is in jeopardy. The real reason he doesn’t want Ellie is that his position right now is secure. I’m elated to be a part of it, and I’m excited there’s now millions of people who are joining the conversation that we’ve all been having for the last ten years. We’re about to go picture up, and it’s cold, and we’re in this beautiful location, the wind is blowing, and there’s trees and real snow on the ground. He weaponizes that in order to assume control of people. I was happy, on this one, to be in the stands rather than on the field. The thing that Pedro does is he brings this vulnerability that I don’t think we could’ve done in the game because of the nature of it. In an interview with Vulture, Baker discussed James’s insecurity about his position of authority, the potential of religious faith to be weaponized, and why Pedro Pascal’s take on Joel “catches me off guard in the best way.”

The Last of Us features a cameo in episode 8 from Troy Baker (who played Joel in the PlayStation games) as he menaces Joel and Ellie as part of the cannibal ...

One of the advantages of doing a game is that if you’re the player character, you get to do multiple death scenes. There’s a difference between he and Joel; there’s a similarity between he and Joel. This is my interpretation — this is what I love about being on the other side of this, the conversation. James is such a reflection of what this show is all about, which is: Let’s build upon, let’s not replace, and this character is one of those characters that you kind of glossed over in the game. A little cameo, a little wink to the audience. And that is something that James can never be for him, and James picks up on that. Everybody that we’ve seen so far in the show somehow serves as a counterpoint to Joel or Ellie. So let’s lean into the tools that we do have and let’s tell a different version of the story that way. I think I want to make Sam deaf.” And Neil was like, “A great choice!” It’s not about post-apocalypse, it’s not about survival horror, it’s a story about love, and what love looks like in this world, and how terrifying that is. But then he got the call to once again be a [part of Joel and Ellie’s story](https://www.polygon.com/23550263/last-us-game-ending-explained) — this time as James, the right-hand man of a preacher with dark secrets. I wouldn’t necessarily call it recasting; I think that they cast the game, and now you cast the show.

Troy Baker, who originated the role of Joel in 'The Last of Us,' talks his new gig as 'pragmatist' James in the HBO series.

In the show, it's way more overt: David is a pedophile and Ellie is forced to give into her violent tendencies if she's to survive his attack. In the game, one of his henchmen remarks how Ellie is now "David's newest pet." "James is observing all of this with the inauspicious perspective of knowing what's actually in the stew, and he's disgusted. "But if you've watched the show, go back and play the game, think about those characters in different ways. "It's a process I've learned to love," Baker says. The thing that I would've lamented is if whoever was tapped to play Joel didn't teach me something new, that they just did the same thing that I did and it became an impression of a performance rather than a character. It may seem as though he then plans to execute the girl, seeing her as just another mouth to feed, but Baker doesn't think it was David's warning shot in the air that stops him. The actor envisioned James as being in law enforcement in some capacity prior to the outbreak. The show expands this story to show the group's leader, David (Scott Shepherd), as a religious man ruling over a flock of starving people. His emotive vocal performance as Joel, however, is at the heart of a game that irrevocably shaped storytelling in the medium. [The Last of Us](https://ew.com/creative-work/the-last-of-us-tv-series/), showrunners [Craig Mazin](https://ew.com/person/craig-mazin/) and Neil Druckmann, the latter having developed the original games, say they couldn't consider Baker for live-action Joel. "I had the opportunity to play it once and I left everything on the dance floor.

'The Last of Us' actor Troy Baker breaks down down how he felt about Pedro Pascal's performance as Joel and what it was like to assume a new role.

That, to me, is something that helps to ground the story and present it in a very tangible way to a whole new audience. There’s a physicality that he brought to this that we couldn’t have done in the game. I can’t wait to post these pictures this weekend to be like, “This is what I went through!” They called it a bladder of blood. And it makes Joel, in a lot of ways, more dangerous. He does this thing where he’s so confident in his grasp on the character that it allows him to just sit comfortably in his own conviction. And that’s not because David said “Don’t kill the girl.” It’s because he can’t bring himself to kill somebody. And I’ve been graciously welcomed now to the table of this extended family that we now have. It’s better to be the right hand of the devil than on the wrong side of him. That’s something that James does not have — if you look, he will shoot the horse to stop Ellie from going further, but when it comes to shooting and killing her, he can’t do it. And to me, we’re all the heroes of our own story. What was it like being on the other side and going after her? [Troy Baker](https://variety.com/t/troy-baker/) has been at the center of the “Last of Us” universe for a decade.

Here, Baker breaks down the nuance of his character's psyche, working with Bella Ramsey and the cultural relevance of The Last of Us. Bella Ramsey (Ellie) ...

I am selfishly excited for people to see me in this episode, but I think what I’m most excited to see is this episode where Bella really gets to flex and show you exactly what Bella Ramsey is capable of, and it is terrifying. He’s just boring,” and the thing that I realize is that what James wants more than anything is to be the right hand of David. So, for me to play James in this is like, “Yeah, this is a unique opportunity for me to see this world through a whole new set of eyes.” And that’s not because he’s afraid of getting in trouble with David; it’s because, at the end of the day, he still has a moral center. David is the Devil, and I definitely want to be on the right side of the Devil than the wrong side. If you don’t feel interested, it’s totally fine.” And I’m like, “Dude, if there’s anything for me….” Look, I thought I was going to be a clicker. How much of that was intentional in your performance to try and create this nuanced dynamic? As an actor, whenever you get an opportunity for an audition or a meeting, you want to get it because the exigencies of the artist’s situation are always financial, and you just want to get a job. But the beauty of this story is that we get to take some characters that may have been overlooked and zoom in and expand their roles. And that was this, I had always been a fan of Naughty Dog and what they had done, especially with the Uncharted series, so the opportunity to be a part of a new thing was very appealing. I got inside of Joel and discovered what I felt was a secret that nobody else knew. [record-smashing](https://deadline.com/2023/02/the-last-of-us-house-of-the-dragon-ginny-and-georgia-hbo-netflix-nielsen-streaming-ratings-1235262602/) horror-drama The Last of Us, Ellie’s ( [Bella Ramsey](https://deadline.com/tag/bella-ramsey/)) last hope for survival is put to a harrowing test.

Posted March 6, 2023, 11 a.m.. Troy Baker may be deeply embedded into The Last of Us' legacy, having originated the lead role of Joel Miller in the games ...

"That would've just been too kitschy," Baker said. It's a good thing HBO didn't take him up on that, however, because he added that he would've made "a terrible clicker, by the way." "If there was a role for me to play in the show, then great, but it wasn't definite," he said.

Pedro Pascal has been collecting praise for his portrayal of Joel in HBO's The Last of Us but he's also scored one particularly notable endorsement: game ...

Was there something that I didn't know?" Was there something that I missed? "Was there something that I overlooked?

One such fallen creature is David (Scott Shepherd), a man who went from 'teacher to preacher' once the world ended. As rations run low among his people, he sets ...

The Last of Us Episode 8 ends with Joel hobbling over to Ellie, who is inconsolable, after the events that just transpired. Ellie has one last ace up her sleeve (quite literally) in The Last of Us Episode 8. It’s very easy to forget that the character of Joel is different from how affable But [The Mandalorian](https://www.sportskeeda.com/pop-culture/the-mandalorian-season-3-episode-1-review-a-slow-start-exciting-journey) star is such a proficient actor, that he slips into ruthless mode right away. [Joel](https://www.sportskeeda.com/pop-culture/joel-s-mortality-sarah-s-memories-loom-large-the-last-us-episode-6) is very much one of David’s targets. Replicating scenes from the game to the T, he learns where Ellie has been stowed away. David and James fall into the same category, but at some point, they lost their humanity. He lets her escape, much to the confusion of James. Leaving him armed only with a knife, medicating him with penicillin and hope; Ellie tries to lead the attackers away. One such fallen creature is David (Scott Shepherd), a man who went from 'teacher to preacher' once the world ended. Ellie trains her gun at David and sends James to fetch medicine for a recovering Joel, when they both come upon the deer's carcass. Even men of God have to debase themselves to survive in this cruel, torrid world.

Troy Baker may be deeply embedded into The Last of Us' legacy, having originated the lead role of Joel Miller in the games, but his involvement in the hit ...

](/articles/tim-schafer-opens-up-about-life-with-xbox-building-better-work-cultures-and-whats-next) [Hogwarts Legacy PS4 and Xbox One Versions Delayed for 'Best Possible Experience'3h ago - Two of Hogwarts Legacy's last-gen versions have shifted from April 4 to May 5.](/articles/hogwarts-legacy-ps4-and-xbox-one-versions-delayed-for-best-possible-experience) [Paradox Announcement Show 2023: Everything Announced3h ago - Here's everything from today's show, including our first tease of Cities: Skylines 2.](/articles/paradox-announcement-show-2023-everything-announced) [Cities: Skylines 2 Revealed for Current-Gen Consoles, Coming Later This Year4h ago - The new city builder will be exclusive to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X "That would've just been too kitschy," Baker said. So ride along as we go through all of the biggest video game releases you’ll be able to play on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC in March 2023.Also, you can browse the IGN Playlist of all the biggest titles launching in March. It's a good thing HBO didn't take him up on that, however, because he added that he would've made "a terrible clicker, by the way." "If there was a role for me to play in the show, then great, but it wasn't definite," he said. It was just like, 'If you guys feel that you have a spot for me then I'd happily do it.' I would be happy if I'd just been a clicker."

The character was played by the iconic voice actor Troy Baker who also happened to play the lead character (Joel) in the game. It was a cool connection to see ...

“I spent a lot of time in the hotel restaurant which is called Cut, I believe. So, wherever I go if someone knows my name I’m going to spend a lot of time with those people,” he said. “I spent a lot of time in downtown Calgary,” Baker told Dished.

The character was played by the iconic voice actor Troy Baker who also happened to play the lead character (Joel) in the game. It was a cool connection to see ...

all of the locations that we found within Calgary to be able to shoot… “They were very prepared and to be able to find the sound stages that they shot at and be able to literally take that over like they did… It was a cool connection to see from the game to the HBO limited series and like like so much more than your average cameo or Easter egg moment.