The Last of Us HBO series casts Nick Offerman as Bill

The role of Bill has been recast in the upcoming television adaptation of The Last of Us. Nick Offerman of Parks and Recreation fame will now play Lincoln’s sole survivor in HBO’s highly anticipated take on Naughty Dog’s widely lauded game.

As Variety reports, Bill was originally set to be played by theater veteran Con O’Neill, although sources have stated that the actor has had to pull out of the production as a result of a scheduling conflict. Bill’s partner, Frank, will still be played by Australian actor Murray Bartlett, which is set to mark the character’s first direct appearance in the series. 

Naughty Dog has since corroborated the report by confirming Offerman’s involvement on Twitter.

For those more familiar with Offerman than the character he is set to play, Bill is a scavenger who Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) encounter during their journey across post-apocalyptic America. He and his aforementioned partner have taken up residence in a dilapidated Lincoln surrounded by makeshift traps, hiding from the cordyceps – a mutated fungus that transforms humans into flesh-eating not-zombies – and those infected by it. He is skittish, rude, and deeply scared of the world around him, although has comfortably established himself as a fan favorite over the last eight years.

This is in spite of the fact that Bill’s role is obviously not as integral to the story as those of Joel and Ellie. As a result, his status as a beloved character from the series’ first entry means that fans will inevitably approach this iteration of him with preexisting ideas. The fact Offerman is similarly beloved serves as a vital point in HBO’s favor in a moment where news of a recast could have sown serious doubt in the community. 

At the time of writing, all other major characters are still being played by the same actors: Nico Parker will play series lead Joel’s daughter, Sarah; Gabriel Luna will play Joel’s brother, Tommy; and Merle Dandridge will play Marlene, leader of the elusive Fireflies group Joel and Ellie are venturing across the US in search of. Interestingly, Dandridge also played Marlene in the video game, meaning this particular performance will likely be remarkably similar to the one it’s based on.

The Last of Us will be exclusive to HBO. As of yet, no official release date has been confirmed.

Written by Cian Maher on behalf of GLHF.