The Last of Us Season 3 Adds John Goodman, Laura Bailey and Ian Alexander in New Roles

Variety reports that John Goodman, Laura Bailey and Ian Alexander have joined HBO’s The Last of Us for Season 3. The two actors with major roles in The Last of Us Part II are playing different characters on television: Bailey played Abby in the game but will portray Elizabeth, while Alexander played Lev in the game but will portray Paco. Goodman plays Joey.

That separation matters more than a simple list of new names. Kaitlyn Dever is HBO’s Abby. Nothing in the new casting report says Bailey replaces her, and Alexander’s announced character is Paco, not Lev.

Who Are Joey and Paco?

Variety describes Goodman’s Joey and Alexander’s Paco as a friendly duo who call themselves the “Heroes of the Highway.” The report gives that description but no faction affiliation or story arc. It does not establish that they are Fireflies, Rattlers, Seraphites, smugglers or renamed versions of particular game characters.

The named duo is new information for the television adaptation. Even if viewers recognize parts of Part II in Season 3, the casting alone does not reveal where Joey and Paco fit in its chronology.

Is Laura Bailey Playing Abby?

No. Bailey voiced and performed Abby in The Last of Us Part II, but Kaitlyn Dever plays Abby in HBO’s series. Variety identifies Bailey’s Season 3 role as Elizabeth, one of the leaders of the Seraphites. It does not say that Elizabeth is the sect’s Prophet or explain how she relates to any specific game character.

Is Ian Alexander Playing Lev?

No. Alexander played Lev in Part II. Their live-action Season 3 role is Paco, Joey’s partner in the Heroes of the Highway duo. Assigning Paco a connection to Lev or a game faction would be speculation at this stage.

When Does Season 3 Premiere?

HBO renewed the series in April 2025. Variety’s September 26 casting report expects the third season next year, in 2027, but HBO has not announced an exact premiere day in the material cited here. No month or episode count follows from this casting news.

The image above is a licensed 2016 photograph of Goodman by Greg2600, used under CC BY-SA 2.0. It does not show his The Last of Us character.

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