HBO has officially confirmed that actor and comedian Nick Offerman has been cast as Bill in the upcomingThe Last Of UsTV series. Offerman joins cast members Pedro Pascal (The Mandalorian), Bella Ramsey (Game of Thrones), Gabriel Luna (Terminator: Dark Fate), and Murray Bartlett (White Lotus).
Based on the popular video game franchise,The Last of Ustakes place 20 years after the world has been ravaged by a deadly and contagious fungus.The Last of Usseriesfollows Joel (Pascal), a hardened smuggler who’s hired to escort a young girl named Ellie (Ramsey) across the post-apocalyptic United States. Together they embark on a brutal and heartwrenching journey that will require them to rely on each other if they hope to survive.
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Actor Con O’Neill had previously been cast in the role of Bill, but according toVariety,he dropped out due to scheduling conflicts. In the series, Offerman will now play Bill, a master survivalist who lives in an isolated town with his partner Frank (Bartlett). InThe Last of Usvideo game, Bill is voiced byDeadwoodactor W. Earl Brown. He’s portrayed as a paranoid and anti-social loner, who despite his odd tendencies, is a master survivalist. It’s unclear how much Offerman will be in the series, but he’s currently cast in a guest role. The series has been filming in Calgary, Alberta since July 2021, and is scheduled to finish shooting in June of 2022.
Offerman is best known for his role as grumpy Libertarian Ron Swanson on the NBC sitcomParks and Recreation.While he is primarily known for his comedic roles, in recent years Offerman has branched out into more dramatic movies and TV shows, including the FX limited seriesDevsand Netflix’sColin in Black and White.He is also set to appear in Hulu’sPam and TommyandA League of Their Ownon Amazon Video. He currently co-hosts the NBC reality seriesMaking Italong with hisParks and Recreationco-star Amy Poehler.
While fans will have to wait and see how HBO portrays this character, Offerman seems like a perfect fit for the role. Despite his comedy roots, he’s developed a reputation for playing tough, no-nonsense characters, such as Ron Swanson. Offerman himself is also an avid outdoorsman, which will bring a certain authenticity to Bill.
While Bill plays a brief but significant role inThe Last of Usvideo game, his partner Frank is dead before Joel and Ellie arrive in their town. With the casting of Bartlett as Frank, it seems that HBO will be taking a different approach and feature Bill’s partner in a more prominent role. This could alter the portrayal of Bill, but it may also give audiences more insight into this mysterious character.
The first season ofThe Last of Usis expected to premiere on HBO sometime in 2022.
