The Last of Us' Ashley Johnson shares her reaction to the season 2 backlash: 'Sometimes that passion feels... intense.'
The Last of Us actor Ashley Johnson, who surprised fans with her cameo as Ellie's ill-fated mom Anna in the HBO TV show, has expressed her understanding of the backlash to season 2, but also acknowledged the intense passion that can inspire such strong reactions. When asked about the response to the second chapter by The Direct (https://thedirect.com/article/the-last-of-us-season-2-ellie-ashley-johnson-backlash), Johnson, who brings Ellie to life in both Naughty Dog's The Last of Us and The Last of Us Part II, said: 'Yeah, I feel like with The Last of Us, people really love that story, including me, and it's very, very passionate fans. And sometimes that passion feels really great, and sometimes it feels not great. But you know, I understand it. I understand loving something so much, and wanting it to be what you want it to be.'
While The Last of Us season 1 followed the source material pretty faithfully, season 2 took more creative swings – deviating from the games in regards to its structure, pacing, and diluting Ellie's quest for revenge. It also said goodbye to Pedro Pascal's Joel (https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/live-action-shows/the-best-twist-of-the-year-was-the-last-of-us-season-2-death-half-the-audience-saw-coming/), which shocked viewers who aren't familiar with the games. Johnson's comments highlight the intense passion that can surround such adaptations, and the potential for both positive and negative reactions. But here's where it gets controversial... How do you think the show could have better balanced the source material and the creative liberties it took? And this is the part most people miss... What do you think about the impact of creative choices on the overall experience of a story?
