Who Plays Jesse In The Last Of Us Season 2

This post contains mild spoilers for HBO's "The Last of Us" and Naughty Dog's "The Last of Us Part II."

"The Last of Us Part II" is no amusement park ride. The video game sequel is a grim, brutal follow-up to Joel and Ellie's journey into the unknown in "The Last of Us," which itself makes us wade through lots of pain in search of a ray of hope. Unfortunately, that hope is cruelly dashed in "The Last of Us Part II," in which Ellie sets out on a violent hunt for revenge, dooming everyone connected to her in one way or another. Ellie's girlfriend Dina is one of the few people who sticks by her side, offering some much-needed warmth in a story where safe havens are few and far between.

But Dina is not the only person holding up a mirror to Ellie's eroding humanity, as Jesse also plays a crucial role in Ellie's overarching journey in "The Last of Us Part II." His shadow looms large over Ellie's choices in the game, serving as a constant reminder of the price Ellie winds up having to pay in her pursuit of vengeance.

HBO's "The Last of Us" season 2 (read /Film's review) brings both Dina and Jesse to life in live-action, as played respectively by Isabela Merced and Young Mazino. In the show's source material, Dina and Jesse are in an on-and-off relationship that takes a rather tragic turn. At the same time, their dynamic is an essential part of Ellie's motivations outside of her revenge-fueled tunnel visions. Jesse is also one of the few friends Ellie has, and the story leverages this to underline that she has taken certain things for granted.

Indeed, loyal friends are not easy to come by in the "Last of Us" universe, a world where humans are more vicious than the infected. This, in turn, makes Jesse's presence more pertinent than it might initially seem. As the "Last of Us" TV series isn't afraid to change major elements of the original games, Jesse's arc may end up being more fleshed out in the series than it is in "The Last of Us Part II."

With that in mind, let's take a look at Mazino's previous acting credits, as well as how his version of Jesse might act as a strong emotional buffer between Ellie (Bella Ramsey) and the bloodied path she will inevitably follow on the "Last of Us" TV adaptation.

Young Mazino played several parts in various film and television projects between 2014 and 2022, but his breakout role was that of Paul Cho in the Netflix series "Beef." Mazino plays Paul as a brash, lost younger brother who is perceived as a nuisance by everybody, yet he ends up revealing tender aspects of his personality during a fling with the series' co-lead, Amy (Ali Wong). However, Paul's instinctive urge to be disrespectful wins out over his softer, more sentimental side, driving him to behave far more vindictively than he'd like to admit. As the actor behind the character, Mazino expertly balances these nuances and is impressive in the way he oscillates between being likable and unlikable in the blink of an eye.

Apart from "Beef," Mazino also starred in "Blue Bloods," "Prodigal Son," "Trinity's Triumph," "Good Boy," and "Foundation," among others. More recently, he starred in Mark Anthony Green's "Opus," appearing opposite Ayo Edebiri and John Malkovich as the film's leads.

Judging by the well-received "Last of Us" season 2 premiere, Mazino seems to be a good fit for the practical, compassionate Jesse, who sports a more laid-back attitude despite always being cognizant of his surroundings. The first episode of season 2 establishes the friendly banter between him and Ellie, with the former overseeing a sparring match that Ellie aggressively participates in. In "The Last of Us Part II," Jesse is a similarly steady, dependable presence; even when things take a turn for the worse, his actions seem to be guided by a deep sense of loyalty.

There are plenty of dramatic moments in that game where Jesse could have become a resentful, callous individual, but he instead chooses to take a more sensible approach to handling emotionally complex scenarios. This is a welcome respite from the intense tragedy that will soon grip the HBO series, even though Jesse is as doomed as anyone unlucky enough to be alive during the most desperate times known to humanity.

New episodes of "The Last of Us" premiere Sundays at 9pm EST on HBO and Max.