John Goodman Joins ‘The Last of Us’ Season 3 Cast

John Goodman is heading into the cordyceps apocalypse. The Emmy-winning actor has joined Season 3 of HBO’s The Last of Us alongside Ian Alexander and Laura Bailey, expanding the cast as the drama prepares to revisit its Seattle conflict from Abby’s point of view.

Goodman and Alexander will play Joey and Paco, described as a friendly pair who call themselves the “Heroes of the Highway.” Bailey will portray Elizabeth, a leader among the Seraphites, the religious community that occupies a central place in the show’s Pacific Northwest storyline.

Two new cast members know the game world well

Alexander and Bailey arrive with unusually direct connections to the source material. In the video game The Last of Us Part II, Alexander performed Lev and Bailey played Abby. The television adaptation gives both actors new live-action roles rather than asking them to recreate those earlier characters.

Kaitlyn Dever plays Abby in the HBO series, while Bella Ramsey returns as Ellie. Season 2 ended by moving the timeline back to Seattle Day One, signaling that the next chapter will follow events already seen through Ellie from a different perspective. That shift mirrors the game’s structure, which asks players to reconsider the same conflict through Abby’s experience.

The new additions join a growing Season 3 ensemble. Ariela Barer, Tati Gabrielle and Spencer Lord are expected back as Mel, Nora and Owen, while Jason Ritter, Patrick Wilson and Clea DuVall are among other announced cast members. Jorge Lendeborg Jr. has taken over the role of Manny after Danny Ramirez left because of scheduling conflicts.

A familiar HBO presence enters a new world

Goodman recently completed his run on HBO’s The Righteous Gemstones, making this casting a return to the network in a dramatically different setting. Details about Joey and Paco beyond their nickname remain limited, so it is not yet clear whether their journey will come directly from the game or expand the television version’s original material.

Season 3 is expected in 2027. With Bailey and Alexander returning to the franchise in fresh parts and Goodman entering it for the first time, the new cast strengthens the connection between the adaptation and the game while preserving room for HBO to build its own characters.