Entertainment
Matthew McConaughey Reveals Why He Turned Down Joel in HBO’s The Last of Us
It is difficult to imagine anyone other than Pedro Pascal playing Joel Miller in HBO’s The Last of Us, but the role nearly went to another Oscar winning actor.
Matthew McConaughey has confirmed that he seriously considered starring as Joel before ultimately deciding the project was not right for him at that point in his career. The revelation adds new context to a casting story that The Last of Us co-creator Craig Mazin first discussed publicly several years ago.
Speaking on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, McConaughey explained that The Last of Us came his way during a period when he had largely stepped away from acting. While he was impressed by the material, the potential commitment required by a major television series gave him pause.
“It was really good,” McConaughey said of the project, before explaining that
“it wasn’t for me at the time.”
McConaughey’s comments confirm that the possibility of him playing Joel was considerably more real than simple Hollywood casting speculation.
Mazin previously revealed in 2023 that he had spoken with McConaughey about the role while HBO was attempting to find its Joel. Pascal had been among the filmmakers’ preferred choices from the beginning, but they were initially told that he was unavailable. That led Mazin to explore other possibilities, including McConaughey.
The Last of Us [credit: HBO Max]
The situation changed when Pascal’s representatives informed the production that his availability had opened up. Pascal eventually accepted the role and starred opposite Bella Ramsey as Ellie when The Last of Us premiered on HBO in 2023.
McConaughey would have made for a fascinatingly different Joel. The actor has built much of his career around characters with a distinctly Southern presence, including acclaimed performances in Dallas Buyers Club, Mud and HBO’s own True Detective. His version of Joel likely would have brought a noticeably different energy to the hardened Texas survivor.
Mazin acknowledged as much when discussing the alternate casting possibility in 2023, saying he believed McConaughey would have been great in the role but that the resulting series would have been different. Mazin ultimately said he preferred the version they made with Pascal.
Pascal’s performance ultimately became one of the defining elements of HBO’s adaptation, transforming Joel into one of the actor’s most recognizable roles and earning widespread acclaim.
The Last of Us [credit: HBO Max]
McConaughey, meanwhile, eventually found the project that convinced him to make a major return to acting with The Rivals of Amziah King. His latest comments suggest that turning down The Last of Us wasn’t necessarily about the quality of the series or the character of Joel. It simply arrived at the wrong moment.
Still, it leaves fans with one of Hollywood’s more intriguing recent “what if?” casting scenarios.
In another universe, Ellie might have crossed post-apocalyptic America with Matthew McConaughey instead of Pedro Pascal.
RJ Mitte, the actor best known for portraying Walter White Jr. on the acclaimed AMC series Breaking Bad, has died at the age of 34.
Mitte died Monday in Brownsville, Texas. His representatives confirmed his death in a statement, remembering him as an actor, philanthropist and passionate disability rights advocate. A cause of death has not been officially announced.
Mitte became widely known for his role as Walter White Jr., also known as Flynn, the son of Bryan Cranston’s Walter White on Breaking Bad. He appeared throughout all five seasons of the series from 2008 through 2013 and became an important part of one of television’s most celebrated ensembles.
Like his character, Mitte lived with cerebral palsy. He drew from his own experiences for the role and later became an outspoken advocate for greater representation and opportunities for people with disabilities in Hollywood.
Breaking Bad [Sony Pictures Television]
Mitte also worked extensively with organizations supporting people with disabilities, including United Cerebral Palsy and Shriners Children’s, and served as president of The Mitte Foundation.
His representatives described him as a powerful voice for inclusion whose influence reached well beyond his work on screen.
RJ Mitte was 34.
Jeremy Allen White is ready to step into the shoes of legendary actor Gene Wilder, he just needs someone to make the call.
The Bear star recently addressed the possibility of portraying Wilder in an upcoming biopic after fans pointed out the striking resemblance between the two actors.
During an appearance on TODAY, White was asked whether he would be interested in taking on the role.
“Absolutely, it would be my honour,”
White said.
White went on to reveal his longtime admiration for Wilder and some of his most iconic films.
“Young Frankenstein is one of my earliest film memories. Blazing Saddles, he’s a genius. It would be an honor. He was a genius. It would be an honor. Yeah, I love him. I’ve always loved him.”
Jeremy Allen White [Photo by Dan Doperalski]
Despite his enthusiasm, White confirmed that he has not been cast in the project. When asked whether the role was already his, the actor quickly responded, “No! No, no, no,” before adding, “We’ll see, we’re manifesting it.”
A Gene Wilder biopic was announced earlier this year, with filmmaker Dito Montiel attached to direct. The project has the cooperation of Wilder’s estate, though casting has yet to be announced.
Wilder remains one of Hollywood’s most beloved comedic performers, starring in classics including Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, Young Frankenstein, Blazing Saddles and The Producers. He died in 2016 at the age of 83 following complications from Alzheimer’s disease.
With White openly interested and fans already making comparisons between the two actors, the upcoming biopic may have just found its most obvious candidate, even if the phone hasn’t rung yet.
Blumhouse is bringing another popular horror video game to the big screen.
The studio is developing a live-action adaptation of Amanda the Adventurer, the indie horror game series from MANGLEDmaw Games and publisher DreadXP.
The project was announced during BlumFest at New York Comic Con, with Matthew “MatPat” Patrick attached to produce the film. Patrick is best known for creating the popular Game Theory YouTube series and has spent years exploring the lore behind horror games and other franchises.
Amanda the Adventurer follows Riley Park, who inherits the home of their Aunt Kate and discovers a collection of mysterious VHS tapes in the attic. The tapes contain episodes of an apparently innocent children’s program starring a young girl named Amanda and her sheep companion, Wooly.
Things quickly become much more disturbing when Amanda and Wooly appear capable of communicating directly with the person watching the tapes.
Amanda the Adventurer
The original game became known for combining the appearance of an early-2000s children’s television show with puzzle-solving, psychological horror and increasingly unsettling imagery.
The franchise has since expanded with Amanda the Adventurer 2 and Amanda the Adventurer 3.
The movie will also mark the first project under a broader partnership between Patrick and Blumhouse focused on adapting indie horror games and online horror properties for the screen.
Blumhouse already has major experience turning horror games into theatrical properties following the success of its Five Nights at Freddy’s films.
The Amanda the Adventurer adaptation remains early in development. A writer and director have not yet been announced, and there is currently no confirmed cast or release date.
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