Pedro Pascal is feeling all the emotions as he steps back into Joel’s shoes.
Following his win for outstanding male actor in a drama series at the 2024 SAG Awards on Saturday, Pascal, 48, teased what’s to come in season 2 of his breakout HBO hit The Last of Us.
“Filming is going amazing,” he told reporters including PEOPLE in the virtual press room. “It’s sort of awe-inspiring, the kind of focus and dedication that everyone has going into season 2.”
“Craig Mazin and Bella Ramsey are, for me, this guide and leadership that I’ve not experienced before. So it’s incredible to be back with them,” he continued of the team behind the series, including its co-creator, Mazin, 52, and his costar Ramsey, 20, who plays Ellie.
“Everybody, our entire crew, they’re working harder than I can even imagine, even harder than our first season — which is close to impossible,” added Pascal, who said the award he’d just accepted for his role in the show was “because of them,” referring to the whole production team.
Pascal — who was just announced as part of the all-star ensemble in The Fantastic Four alongside Vanessa Kirby, The Bear's Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Stranger Things' Joseph Quinn — continued to rave about his experience on the set of The Last of Us as he reflected on the new installment.
“Going back to season 2 and stepping back into those boots again, it feels strangely brand new. I’ve never done anything like this before that has original authorship and then to be given the space and author what I have to give…. To be with Craig Mazin and Bella Ramsey is what works for me.”
He added, “I’ll probably be thinking about it for the rest of my life.”
Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey attend the Los Angeles Premiere of HBO's "The Last Of Us" at Regency Village Theatre on Jan. 9, 2023, in Los Angeles. Amy Sussman/GA/The Hollywood Reporter/GettyPascal admitted onstage at the SAG Awards after winning his category that he was “a little drunk” as he alluded to his disbelief that he’d beat out his fellow nominees, who included Succession's Brian Cox, Kieran Culkin and Matthew Macfadyen, as well as The Morning Show’s Billy Crudup.
“Thank you, HBO, for ... geez Louise, I'm making a fool of myself. But thank you so much for this!"
After calling the award "an incredible f---ing honor," Pascal thanked several colleagues and his family, through tears, before ending his speech candidly with, "I'm going to have a panic attack and I'm going to leave."
Ramsey was also up for an award at the SAGs for her portrayal of Ellie, the 14-year-old whom Pascal’s character is on a mission to deliver into the hands of scientists in hopes she can save a post-apocalyptic world.
Pedro Pascal at the 2024 SAG Awards.Netflix
The Last of Us was adapted from the hit video game of the same name, and has earned critical acclaim, as was displayed throughout this awards season.
Pascal earned nominations at the Emmys, Golden Globes, SAG Awards and People’s Choice Awards, and the show itself garnered a whopping 24 Primetime Emmy nominations overall.
Pascal and Culkin, 41, also struck up a hilarious faux beef that started at the Golden Globes when the Succession star beat out Pascal and jokingly told him to “suck it” during his acceptance speech.
The following week at the Emmys, Pascal was onstage to present an award and used the moment to make his own dig at Culkin as he joked that the actor “beat the s---” out of him and that was the reason behind his sling.
Pedro Pascal attends the SAG-AFTRA Foundation Conversations Career Retrospective with Pedro Pascal event on Feb. 6, 2024.Amanda Edwards/Getty
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After his win at Saturday’s SAG Awards, Pascal once again addressed the rivalry as he told Tan France backstage: “I’m going to make out with Kieran tonight. That’ll be my revenge.”
“He is the greatest,” Pascal said of Culkin. “I can remember years and years ago, actually, him taking one of my younger siblings to an FAO Schwarz in Manhattan, and I was doing a play at Second Sage. ... He came up to me and complimented me on the play.”
