The Last of Us was a big hit when it premiered on HBO last year, and fans are eager for more. The second season will be based on the second game in Naughty Dog's video game series: The Last of Us Part II, which continues the story of Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) trying their best to survive and thrive after a zombie apocalylpse collapses modern society.
Cameras are rolling even now on the second season, and we've heard a lot about new cast members joining the fray. Kaitlyn Dever will play Abby, a crucial new character we'll be spending a lot of time with. Isabela Merced will play Ellie's love interest Dina and Beef star Young Mazino will play her friend Jesse. There's even talk of Westworld veteran Jeffrey Wright reprising his video game role as paramilitary leader Isaac in the live-action show.
All of that sounds above board, but fans were surprised when they learned that comedy legend Catherine O'Hara also has a role in the new season. O'Hara has a long history in Hollywood; she played Kevin McCallister's mom in the Home Alone movies, was possessed by the spirit of Harry Belafonte in Beetlejuice, cracked us up in mockumentaries like Best in Show, and most recently won awards for her work as the high-strung matriarch Moira Rose on Schitt's Creek. Catherine O'Hara is awesome, but what role could she possibly play in a zombie drama?
Fans think they've figured it out. Let's get into it below the fold.
Will Catherine O'Hara play the Seraphite Prophet in The Last of Us season 2?
Fans on Twitter/X think they've figured out who O'Hara will play: a mysterious character known in the games only as the Seraphite Prophet.
either an original character or the seraphite prophet which i actually think she’s gonna be pic.twitter.com/d1RfUZl4i6
— shay watched Daria for the 11th time (@shaysinferno) February 2, 2024
Let's give some background, keeping spoilers to a minimum: in The Last of Us season 2, players will spend a lot of time in the ruins of Seattle, which is dominated by two factions: the paramilitary group known as the Washington Liberation Front (WLF for short; this is the group of Jeffrey Wright's character is in charge of) and the Seraphites, a religious cult who believe that the zombie infection is a punishment for the sins of mankind. To atone, the Seraphites (or "Scars," as they're often called i the game) forego technology and avoid pleasure. They're creepy, and you'll fight a lot of them.
The Seraphites worship a woman known as the Seraphite Prophet, who preached this new religion long before the player arrives on the scene; you'll find pictures of her strewn about Seattle, often accompanies by unsettling messages like "Feel her love," and "May she guide us." Just normal stuff.
But we never meet the Seraphite Prophet in the game. She's dead by the time we get to Seattle, killed in the turf war between the Scars and the WLF, although the Seraphites continue to worship her. So how could O'Hara play her?
Well, the first season of The Last of Us greatly expanded upon the game with flashbacks; the best episode, "Long Long Time," was a walk through the lives of Bill and Frank, two characters who are dead by the time Joel and Ellie get to their house. Season 2 could do the same thing, utilizing flashbacks to show how the Seraphites came to power before we arrive in Seattle and kill, like, a million of them.
Bill and Frank is also a useful reference point to understand why O'Hara would be a good fit for this role. Bill was played by Nick Offerman, best known for his comedic roles in shows like Parks and Recreation. He played against type as the embittered survivalist Bill, and won and Emmy for it. Playing the Seraphite Prophet could give O'Hara a similar chance to show off her range.
Plus, the images we see of the Seraphite Prophet throughout the video game do sort of resemble O'Hara; I can easily image her fitting the role visually. After talking through this, I'm completely convinced of this theory. Yesterday, I had no idea what The Last of Us was going to do with a comedy actress like Catherine O'Hara. Now, I'd put money down on her playing the Seraphite Prophet. We'll see if I'm right when new episodes start airing on HBO and Max sometimes next year.
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