SPOILER ALERT: This interview contains details of Season 1, Episode 5 of HBO’s The Last Of Us.
HBO’s critically praised horror-drama The Last of Us continues to break our hearts and shows no signs of stopping anytime soon. Episode 5, titled “Endure and Survive”, follows the story of two brothers named Henry (Lamar Johnson) and Sam (Keivonn Woodard) as they try to escape from the harsh confines of a quarantine zone run by a ruthless radical leader named Kathleen (Melanie Lynskey). Along their journey, they team up with Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) to better ensure their safety as they travel amongst the roaming infected, hoping to get a chance at a better life. Though adapted from the video game of the same name, The Last of Us series creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann have managed to elevate and expand upon beloved characters in a notable way, this time the pair added disability inclusion to Sam’s character by casting Woodard a deaf child actor. By incorporating American Sign Language between the two characters, it not only adds dimension but also highlights the beauty of communication that goes beyond the auditory.
Here, actors Johnson and Woodard discuss creating their brotherly bond, their inspirations, and shooting that final scene.
DEADLINE: Lamar, I love the inclusivity of adding Keivonn to the series. Had you known earlier in the process that you’d be working with a deaf child actor? And how did you both work together to bring this relationship to life?
JOHNSON: I found out when I booked the role that they’d be incorporating Keivonn and ASL. And for me, I didn’t know any sign before getting to set, so it was sort of a crash course, but I had a director of ASL along with interpreters that helped me wrap my head around sign language in our scenes. And I think that sign created a lot more depth to our relationship because communication is not only through words but also through body language. And I think it truly bonded us because we had to communicate through feeling, and I think people felt that in our performance.
It was easy to connect with Keivonn because he’s such a great kid. He’s so talented, and we both really connected and committed ourselves to these roles. And we had a really great team of people behind us and we supported each other. So, when I saw a lot of the changes [to Henry and Sam’s story], especially with Sam being deaf, I was really happy because I felt that it added a beautiful layer of intimacy between Henry and Sam and their connection.
DEADLINE: In this episode, Henry reflects on his morality crisis about having the beloved leader of this anti-FEDRA faction group assassinated to save Sam’s life with Joel. Considering this is a new storyline for the character, how did you feel about Henry’s decision to double-cross the group he was with?
JOHNSON: It informed me about Henry’s love for Sam because he’s willing to make hard decisions to keep him safe. He is his sole care provider and protector. So it just really shows you the length and how far Henry would go to keep Sam safe, even if that means giving up a life to save his own. That’s what it revealed to me. And do I understand that? Yes. They live in a very harsh world, and Sam is Henry’s purpose. It’s his will to live. And if he didn’t have him, he wouldn’t have the will to live. So, do I agree with protecting and trying your absolute best to protect and save the one thing you have left in this world that you love and care for? Yeah, it’s a tough one, but I think I understand where he’s coming from, and I think Joel does too.
DEADLINE: Keivonn, in the show, your character paints his face in order to help him embody a superhero that makes him feel brave so that he can cope with the harsh reality of the world he lives in. What person or phrase do you conjure up to get through times that might be scary for you?
WOODARD: My father passed away and someone told me that it’s really important that I be strong. And as a Black person, it is important. I use that memory to look inside myself and motivate myself to be brave, even if there are frustrations or struggles. I do my best to be brave. Also, Miles Morales is my favorite superhero.
DEADLINE: Let’s talk about this incredibly intense action sequence ripped straight from the game. It’s filled with gunfire and crawling with tons of infected. What was filming that experience like?
JOHNSON: It was pretty intense; everything was [practical]. The entire cul-de-sac was built; all the houses when the infected came out of the ground were real. It was all stunt men and stunt women with this crazy makeup on and everything like that. It was an intense day, but it was actually a lot of fun just because me, personally, I’m a fan to see the amount of work and dedication from the makeup team and special effects team that they put into. I think there are probably… I couldn’t even tell you how many clickers were there that day, but there were some people that were in from the… I mean, we’re shooting nights at that point in time, so we’re shooting until very early in the morning, maybe would wrap around maybe 5:00, 6:00 AM. But some people would literally get there in the morning or the afternoon, early afternoon, all the way up until it takes a while to get all these prosthetics and all these different things onto your body. And it was great to be there with Pedro [Pascal] and Bella [Ramsey]. It was a fun time, intense too, but fun.
WOODARD: With all of the creatures and clickers, I got to meet them beforehand; that way, I got an idea of what they looked like, so I wasn’t as scared of them. It was really good working with them and with Lamar, Pedro and Bella. I had a lot of fun, especially with the clickers. It all went really well.
DEADLINE: Similarly to Episode 3, there is this heartbreaking emotional turning point at the end of the episode where Henry has to make the devastating choice to kill his brother and then himself. Can you both talk about how you tapped into the emotions of this scene? How did you interpret the ending?
JOHNSON: How I interpreted that scene, for me, I mean it’s the big scene, it’s the Henry and Sam scene. I know the weight of that scene and the importance of that scene, especially with me knowing about the game, understanding the game, and being a fan of the game. So, I guess going into it, I kind of knew what we were doing that day. I think I just tried to be as present and authentic as possible because everything was given to me. I had Keivonn there, I had Pedro there, I had Bella there, and they were all reacting and giving me what I needed for me to perform. So, I tried not to overthink it. I wanted just to be present and allow things to affect me, like seeing Keivonn as Sam’s body lay there. So, all I had to do was just be present and react to everything in my environment.
WOODARD: I felt very sad with the last part. And when I was reading about it, I knew what would happen, but I got through it.
The Last of Us airs every Sunday on HBO.
[This interview has been edited for length and clarity]