โThe Last of Usโ has been captivating audiences and critics for its emotional moments and video game-to-television adaptation.
With the release of the show’s second season, viewers have seen a slew of new cast members, including many Latino actors, who will move the apocalypticย story forward.
Latino stars like Pedro Pascal and Gabriel Luna have already been major forces in โThe Last Of Us,โ representing a prominent and underrepresented community on television. Now stepping up in their own major roles are Isabela Merced as Dina, Danny Ramirez as Manny and Ariela Barer as Mel.
“Something that was unique (was) the privilege of being able to tell a story like this with as many Latinos,” Ramirez tells TODAY.com at a special screening of the showโs third episode hosted by Max and Complex.
According to the Latino Donor Collaborative’sย (LDC) 2024 U.S. Latinos in Media Report released in September, U.S. Latinos make up nearly 20% of the U.S. population. Yet, only 9.8% of main cast roles in scripted shows are Latino. The LDC stated that out of the 198 scripted shows analyzed in the report, Latinos held 11 of the lead roles. The number would need to increase to 38% for market parity to be achieved.
โIt was kind of like the first time in my career that Iโve ever even imagined being on a show and like, (looking) similar to someone, let alone being similar to five people,โ Ramirez said about the HBO show.
For Merced, the actor gave casting credit to โThe Last of Usโ showrunner and co-creator Craigย Mazin.
โCraig is in the business of casting people for their souls, not for their appearances,โ Merced tells TODAY.com. โHeโs like, โIf you have the soul of the character, thatโs what I want.โโ
Merced did not initially audition for the role of Dina. She instead was asked to meet with Mazin so he could get to know her.
โI didnโt know exactly what it was for. I had an inkling that it was for this, because it was Craig and (co-creator) Neil (Druckmann) I met,โ she said. โAnd then from there, he casted me. So he had his vision, but I guess I fit it.โ
Barer also shared insight into the casting process for their character Mel, who is part of Abby’s (Kaitlyn Dever) group on the show and a member of the Washington Liberation Front.
โThis was very much an open ethnicity casting call, which I really appreciated,โ Barer tells TODAY.com. โI think itโs very important to have roles that are specifically for Latinos and built into the structure and DNA of it is the culture.โ
Adding, โAnd I also think itโs important, especially in this fantastical apocalypse world, to be flexible with who can play what.โ
โThe Last of Usโ shies away from stereotypes, instead focusing on well-rounded and complex characters โ something that is oftentimes rare on television.
In aย USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative report that examined Hispanic and Latino representation in 1,600 top-grossing films from 2007 to 2022, it noted that 24.4% of top-billed Hispanic/Latino characters were depicted as immigrants and low-income.
Additionally, per the report, more than half (57.8%) of top-billed Hispanic/Latinos were depicted as criminals.
Barer believes the role of Mel, who is a surgeon and soldier, โcould apply across the spectrum of culture and race.โ
โSo I appreciated that it was just open and it was just to find the person for the role,โ Barer added.
Above all, the stars believe the show expands the cultural conversation in its own unique way.
โCulture drives conversation, and conversation drives impact,โย Merced added in a statement, adding that the award-winning show is โabout experiencing it, sharing perspectives, and deepening the cultural conversation around storytelling that moves people.โ
