This newsletter contains spoilers for The Last of Us season 2, episode 7.
Greetings from Nashville! I may be a New York City boy, but I spent the long weekend channeling my inner Yellowstone cowboy. I learned how to line-dance, whistle a tune, and "yee-haw!" like a Dutton. A British couple on my flight mentioned that they love Nashville because it's like a second Vegas. I don't know about that, but if you're ever in the area, Edley's has some of the best barbecue brisket in the city.
Of course, I still had to tether my horse and park my rear-end on the couch for The Last of Us season 2 finale on Sunday night. Much like Game of Thrones, the post-apocalyptic drama loves to kill off characters however and whenever it pleases. Fans received their first bitter surprise when season 2, episode 2 ended in Pedro Pascal's unbelievable departure as Joel. His presence was so powerful—and necessary—that The Last of Us now feels like a different show entirely. Then, in Sunday night's season 2 finale, the HBO drama killed both Jesse (Young Mazino) and Mel (Ariela Barer) far before audiences even had the chance to really know the two young survivors.
So, as fans of both The Last of Us video games and its TV adaptation, the Esquire entertainment team jumped at the chance to speak with both Mazino and Barer ahead of their shocking deaths in the season 2 finale. Honestly, they both seemed just as shell-shocked as we were.
"I was so nervous and panicked. I couldn't stop sobbing," Barer told our associate entertainment editor, Eric Francisco, about filming her final scene. The actress, who also cowrote and produced the 2022 thriller How to Blow Up a Pipeline, recalled showrunner Craig Mazin coming to her room to congratulate her, only to find her crying and laughing uncontrollably. "He's like, 'Are you a crazy person?'"
Similarly, Young Mazino told me last Friday that he was so impressed with his costar's performances that he was even thinking about returning to film school to strengthen his own chops. "I look at someone like Isabela Merced, who is a star," Mazino said. "She's so good at this and she owns it. Not just the acting, but all the before and after stuff too. And I'm really questioning if I'm built for this—the publicity and everything. I love acting. I love the work, being on set, making something with artists and collaborating. But I'm still weighing in my heart of hearts if it's fulfilling me or if it's draining me?"
There's a chance that we see both of these actors again in season 3, when The Last of Us backtracks to retell the events of season 2 from Abby's perspective. But for now, I just want to take the moment to appreciate that Mazino and Barer were both so open and honest with us. Not to go all Celebrities, they're just like us! But I can't lie—both conversations were incredibly refreshing. Give them a read here and here—after watching the finale, of course—and I hope you continue to enjoy the sincere and insightful work we do here at Esquire.
Much like Mazino and Barer, next week we'll move on from The Last of Us and dive into a whole new exciting week of entertainment. If there's a particular show you're obsessing over right now, feel free to let me know at josh.rosenberg@hearst.com.
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