The Last of Us: Catherine O’Hara’s Character Was a Cut Idea from Season 1

by

In the initial series of “The Last of Us”, fresh characters and plots not found in the initial video game were introduced, and it’s anticipated that similar developments will occur in Season 2 as well.

In The Last of Us Part II, a fresh character enters the scene – Catherine O’Hara portrays Joel’s therapist from earlier seasons, a role that the showrunners, Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann, had envisioned for Joel since the initial season.

Neil Druckmann on Joel’s Therapist

In a recent conversation with THR (@TheLastofUsNews), game developer Neil Druckmann shared that during Season 1, they had initially planned to include a therapist for Joel’s character. However, they chose to postpone this element and incorporate it into Season 2 instead. Druckmann elaborated on the decision.

In the last season, Craig Mazin came up with the concept that Joel would visit a therapist within the Boston quarantine zone. However, for various reasons, this didn’t come to fruition in that particular season. Now that Joel and Ellie have established themselves in Jackson, we wanted to develop Jackson as a character, emphasizing its community aspect. It seemed fitting that a therapist could be included as part of this community, considering the psychological support everyone would require after enduring the traumatic events of the apocalypse.

The therapist isn’t a one-time figure in the narrative; instead, she’s been crafted as Eugene’s wife – a character who perished within the game’s timeline but will receive an extended backstory for the upcoming series. Joe Pantoliano is set to portray this revived character. Druckmann further explains…

Initially, we brainstormed concepts for a specific character. To ensure consistency with The Last of Us’s lore, we connected her as Eugene’s wife from the game. Incredibly fortunate, we were able to secure Catherine O’Hara to portray this role and deliver an outstanding performance.

What is Eugene’s Story?

Even though Eugene didn’t have a spouse within the game, there might be insights into his therapist character, O’Hara, if we consider his backstory as a potential source of information.

In The Last of Us Part II, Eugene serves as one of the skilled inventors residing in Jackson. He boasts an assortment of technology that he frequently repairs and tinkers with. During their encounter, Ellie and Dina stumble upon Eugene’s hidden lab, where it is revealed that he secretly cultivates marijuana plants.

One significant aspect of Eugene is that he was once a member of the Firefly group, having teamed up with Tommy (Joel’s brother). Both are reported to have left the organization and eventually settled down in Jackson. Notably, Eugene’s death, caused by old age, stands out as one of the few natural deaths in the post-apocalyptic world depicted in The Last of Us.

As an eager admirer, I’m hoping that Catherine O’Hara’s character might delve deeper into Eugene’s past, perhaps even sharing some insightful moments with Joel. However, it’s all a mystery for now, and we fans can only wait and anticipate the unfolding storyline.

Catch the second season of The Last of Us when it premieres on Max on April 13.

Read More

2025-03-27 13:42