This story comprises spoilers for “Day One,” Episode 4 of “The Last of Us” Season 2.
One of many first locations Ellie and Dina discover once they attain Seattle is Capitol Hill.
“What’s up with all the rainbows,” asks Dina, performed by Isabela Merced, because the pair make their method via a desolate neighborhood adorned with tattered LGBTQ+ Satisfaction flags on horseback.
“I don’t know, maybe they were all optimists,” responds Bella Ramsey’s Ellie as they cross by a mural of a rainbow coronary heart.
It’s an early tease of how Ellie and Dina’s relationship will progress in Sunday’s episode of “The Last of Us.” The 2 of them have been dancing round one another — bodily and emotionally — since sharing a kiss within the first episode that has always been performed off as drunken antics. (Regardless of some viewers believing they have been protesting a bit an excessive amount of for it to not have meant something.)
However after surviving harrowing encounters with an armed militia and a horde of contaminated — and revealing some private secrets and techniques — the couple lastly will get collectively and consummates their romance in “Day One,” the fourth episode of the HBO post-apocalyptic drama’s second season.
“We wanted the audience to be very worried at the beginning of that scene, right up until the kiss,” says Kate Herron, the episode’s director, throughout a latest video name. Earlier than mentioned kiss, Dina is holding Ellie at gunpoint, satisfied she should kill her not-quite-girlfriend after being bitten by a fungal zombie. And whereas Herron questioned if audiences could be indignant about all of the adjustments round Ellie and Dina’s relationship from the sport, “I love that [showrunner] Craig [Mazin] moved this [moment] to later in the series. I think it’s more impactful and more surprising because not everyone watching will know [they’re together] in the game,” she says.
Herron describes herself as “a massive fan” of “The Last of Us” video games, which she performed back-to-back after shopping for a PlayStation console in the course of the COVID-19 lockdowns.
“It just blew my mind in terms of what a video game could be in terms of storytelling [and] how it commented on empathy,” she says. “I think it’s one of the best stories about empathy ever made. I was obsessed with it.”
Ellie (Bella Ramsey) finds a guitar and performs “Take On Me” in “The Last of Us.”
(Liane Hentscher / HBO)
The British filmmaker isn’t any stranger to huge franchises. She’s accustomed to bringing moments that acknowledge queer characters of those fashionable reveals onscreen in several methods. Herron was the director and govt producer on Marvel Studios collection “Loki” when the eponymous god of mischief confirmed his bisexuality throughout a dialog with Sylvie. She additionally co-wrote a 2024 episode British sci-fi staple “Doctor Who,” wherein the present’s titular Time Lord falls in love with a bounty hunter.
“It’s a massive privilege to get to tell these stories,” says Herron. “It’s not lost on me that in general mainstream pop culture, we don’t see many stories like this. So there is definitely a sense of responsibility, but also massive gratefulness, in getting to tell these stories.”
Whereas she had no clue which episode she could be directing when she landed “The Last of Us” job, she suspects how a lot she talked to co-creators Neil Druckmann and Mazin about Ellie and Dina contributed to the project.
“I didn’t ask for this episode, it was given to me,” says the queer filmmaker. “But I was so excited when I read it. The story was very meaningful, and I knew if it was meaningful for me, it would have to be meaningful for lots of other people.”
“ ‘The Last of Us’ story and the world is very harrowing,” she provides. “That’s why we really loved this episode because at least for this one hour, we get to see Ellie and Dina happy together.”
Herron, in a dialog edited for size and readability, discusses Ellie and Dina’s relationship, filming the “Take on Me” scene and attending to sort out horror.
What have been your ideas on how Ellie and Dina‘s relationship had been progressing over the course of the season so far?
I haven’t been in an apocalypse like they’ve, however I discovered the scenario very relatable. Is that this particular person into me? Are they not into me? Are they queer? Are they not queer? Me and numerous my buddies have had related experiences to this. However the factor I all the time got here again to, past my very own expertise and what related to me, is ensuring it felt genuine and simply ensuring their love story felt earned. We wished that second within the theater to really feel like a giant second. For me, it was simply ensuring to maintain up the flirtation, but in addition the questioning round is it going to go in that course, or is it not going to go in that course. I feel numerous the time it may be like that if you’re first falling in love with somebody and I used to be all the time attempting to emotionally monitor it throughout the story.
Dina (Isabela Merced) watches as Ellie performs a guitar in “The Last of Us.”
(Liane Hentscher / HBO)
I recognize that even in a scary mushroom zombie apocalypse, younger individuals nonetheless get to expertise the queer ceremony of passage of questioning what sort of emotions you’ve gotten for a buddy.
I feel that’s what’s so necessary in style story anyway. If you happen to take all the things away from style story, what’s it actually about? I used to be all the time eager about that with the episode. Sure, they’re on this horrible scenario and thrust into this type of revenge mission, primarily, on Ellie’s half. However I all the time wished to ensure that the love story was about these two younger individuals realizing, “Oh, actually, I think I’m in love with my friend” and that that means one thing a bit deeper. The tales I really like watching once they’re style associated are relatable tales embedded in these fantastical worlds. That’s the stuff that actually hooks me in.
Their relationship performs out in a different way on the present than within the recreation.
That’s the enjoyment with the TV episode of all of it. Attending to deal with their relationship right here, we actually get to take our time so it does really feel actually earned by the point they kiss within the theater. Clearly, they’ve kissed earlier than and it was very romantic and it was beautiful, however then you might be thrown into considering perhaps Dina was simply having enjoyable or that it didn’t imply something. I cherished that on this one you see, no, it sort of meant all the things. Look, I’m queer. I didn’t ask for this episode. It was given to me. However I used to be so excited once I learn it. The story was very significant, and I knew that if it was significant for me, it must be significant for plenty of different individuals.
Capitol Hill is a location from the sport, but it surely was enjoyable to see Ellie and Dina exploring the neighborhood and never recognizing symbols of an LGBTQ+ group.
To us, clearly, the symbolism of the rainbow flag, it means one thing very particular. However to those two younger individuals within the apocalypse, they don’t essentially know what that meant and what Seattle meant. And that was the figuring out nod and enjoyable from us in making this story. Sure, we’re going to present you a relatable, emotional story, however only a reminder that these should not characters which can be in our present day. I really like that they’re speaking about that as a result of it units you up for the place our story goes to take you. However you’re nonetheless questioning, is that each one we’re going to speak about in relation to that or is it really constructing as much as one thing that’s extra significant? Hopefully by the later scene, when she’s serenading her, you’re like, “Oh, OK, maybe this is gonna be romantic.”
Ellie (Bella Ramsey) and Dina (Isabela Merced) in “The Last of Us.”
(HBO)
Because you point out the serenading, are you able to discuss a bit of bit about your method to the “Take on Me” scene?
As a result of the scripts are so brilliantly written, it was about honoring the script. And I really like that second within the recreation. We did numerous completely different takes of it — we bought some the place she was listening to it, and she or he was actually into the track. Some the place it was a bit of bit extra tentative from Ellie. I bear in mind we did a take the place I spoke to Bella and was like, “Let’s do one where you just make no eye contact.” Clearly we don’t use that take for the whole scene, but it surely’s attention-grabbing to have ranges and see what felt greatest to us. It begins off as a non-public second, Ellie’s taking part in guitar after which is interrupted. However I simply love that scene as a result of once I watch it, I can see Dina is in love with Ellie. This isn’t only a crush or being drunk, this can be a actual emotional factor for them each.
It actually necessary to remind the viewers that these are younger individuals, and regardless of all the things, they nonetheless can discover romance on this backdrop of horror. That was all the time the balancing act for us, ensuring that the hazard by no means felt too distant, but in addition giving sufficient house for them to fall in love.
It’s additionally a pleasant reminder that regardless of all the things, creativity and music can endure.
For the reason that daybreak of time, if you see somebody you want, you’re going to discover a approach to impress them. Whether or not that’s drawing or music or — I do know I wrote fanfics for individuals to attempt to impress them. Once you see somebody who has a extremely good artistic talent they usually’re doing it rather well, what isn’t enticing about that?
I requested if we may get a caterpillar for the scene and I used to be so thrilled when Craig mentioned sure. As a result of I bear in mind within the recreation, it’s that lovely backdrop behind Ellie, and I wished to have this overgrown backyard sense to it, just like the Earth taking again over, which is throughout all of the designs of “The Last of Us.” However I wished them to really feel for only a second in their very own non-public house and remoted, as a result of I feel they needed to be for it to have that second of connectivity, and for it to be as impactful as it’s when she sings to her.
It’s a giant distinction to their second later within the theater.
I cherished the way it performed out since you’re popping out of this huge adrenaline journey of going via the subway with them and also you’re sort of in the identical house with them. You additionally know that Dina doesn’t know that Ellie is immune, and I feel that’s such an important factor. They go into the theater, and you’ve got this breath of aid, after which the adrenaline is correct again up once more as a result of now Ellie could possibly be in severe hazard. And it’s even worse, since you’re considering that may’t be what occurs, she will’t get killed by Dina. I bear in mind speaking to Bella about it. We wished individuals to really feel full stress as much as the purpose they kissed. That was actually necessary.
For Dina, clearly, there’s one thing deeper than friendship happening there, which we established with “Take On Me.” However a lot occurs between that time and the theater that you’re a little bit on the fence about whether or not these two characters are going to get collectively. So it was ensuring that the stress and the drama felt excessive sufficient so the kiss was like a aid, but in addition sufficient of a shock.
Ellie (Bella Ramsey) and Dina (Isabela Merced) attempting to flee a militia and a horde of contaminated in “The Last of Us.”
(Liane Hentscher / HBO)
We additionally get Dina’s popping out story afterwards.
I got here out in my 30s, so I discovered that speech very relatable and exquisite. Some individuals don’t come out till a lot, a lot later in life and I feel the extra we hear these tales, the higher. I do know for me, it will have made me really feel courageous if I’d seen a personality who I assumed was kick ass on TV and noticed “Oh, she feels like I feel.”
I bear in mind once I first got here out, I labored on the present “Sex Education,” and that undoubtedly helped me work out what was happening with me. As a result of I used to be getting to inform these tales, and I assumed, “these feel sort of connected to me, but I have to work out why.” After I was rising up, I didn’t get tales like this fairly often. I do assume if I’d seen one thing like that, I’d have simply felt much less alone. For me, that’s so necessary as a director. If I can inform tales that assist individuals really feel a bit of bit much less alone, why would I not try this?
And on this story, it’s not like this utopia the place they kiss within the first episode and everybody thinks it’s nice. They do meet somebody who’s being homophobic. He does apologize, however nonetheless. It’s not making a fantasy world. It nonetheless reveals that individuals have these obstacles. But it surely’s much more significant for me since you think about this world they’re dwelling in they usually can nonetheless discover some sort of pleasure in that and love. That all the time goes to present me hope, despite the fact that “The Last of Us” story and the world could be very harrowing. That’s why we actually cherished this episode. As a result of at the very least for this one hour, we get to see Ellie and Dina glad collectively.
One in every of my favourite moments is after Dina tells Ellie she’s pregnant, Ellie says, “I’m going to be a dad.”
That’s the way it was within the script and I simply find it irresistible. I really like that Ellie finds out after which instantly is “I’m all in.” I simply discovered it so transferring. Quite a bit’s occurred to them each. They wanted simply an hour to take a seat down and be nonetheless for a second and catch up. However that’s precisely how Craig wrote it. I really like that line. It’s so candy.
You’ve additionally been concerned in different huge queer moments in huge franchises, like “Loki” and “Doctor Who.”
For me, it’s only a huge privilege to be sincere. It’s been completely different with all the things I’ve labored on. “Loki” was already a love story, and I requested once I was in my interview if we have been going to acknowledge Loki’s sexuality in any method. They wished to, so then that grew to become a part of the dialog as we labored on scripts. It’s only a second in “Loki.” Whereas with “Doctor Who,” I used to be simply pitching concepts to [showrunner] Russell [T Davies], as a result of he requested if I wish to come write an episode. As a result of me and Russell spoke to one another initially about queer illustration and queer romance in TV, I requested to do a narrative like that as a result of that is how we’d turn into buddies. And I really like romance. With “Last of Us,” I didn’t know that I used to be going to get this script. I feel I did discuss lots about Ellie and Dina, in order that they most likely have been like “give her Episode 4.” But it surely’s a large privilege to get to inform these tales.
Jeffrey Wright reprises his online game function as Isaac in “The Last of Us” collection.
(Liane Hentscher / HBO)
What have been the moments that excited you if you learn the script for this episode?
The love story. “Take on Me.” However the different bit I used to be enthusiastic about was the subway as a result of I really like horror. I wished to essentially scare individuals. Just like the practice carriage, the primary one they land in is in a bizarre angle and I bear in mind hanging round in that surrounded by all these skeletons and I used to be so glad. I simply really feel like numerous girls, significantly in TV, will go meet for stuff they usually received’t offer you these episodes.
I wished to seize how I felt once I was taking part in the sport. Our story is barely completely different however simply that feeling of panic. I bear in mind once I was planning it, I requested Craig if I may add a leap scare with a clicker. He mentioned, “Sure.” After I was constructing out that with a previs artist, we added the leap scare, and Craig was actually into it. I do know that’s not all that makes a horror piece. It’s a lot about stress and many different issues, however attending to dip my toe into that style, I used to be thrilled.
One thing that was actually enjoyable that wasn’t deliberate was we didn’t know we’d have Josh [Peck] within the opening. Josh was somebody that got here up in our conversations, and he learn for the function. He was incredible and the perfect particular person. However I used to be additionally excited to get to do like a Drew Barrymore in “Scream” by having him within the opening. And what an attention-grabbing opening with Jeffrey Wright as properly. Jeffrey, for me, is likely one of the greatest actors working. What we have been filming collectively was very heavy, but it surely was such a pleasure to work with him on these scenes and be part of that. This isn’t his first time in “The Last of Us” world. It felt like a large privilege to be part of launching Isaac on TV, so to talk.
