The Last of Us has established itself as one of the most successful HBO series and continues to delight not only fans of the popular video games of the same name. The authentic film set of the adaptation creates an apocalyptic feel for the viewers, but was especially a great help to the actors. Lamar Johnson gives us insight into his role as Henry.
Being able to step onto a film set for the first time is certainly an exciting experience for many actors. The cast of The Last of Us definitely experienced it this way. They were allowed to explore the set beforehand and investigate the large bunker city that was created.
The implementation on set impressed the actors and first inspired the thought in Murray Bartlett (Frank): “Shit, we better not screw this up.” (via IndieWire)
They did not screw it up – quite the opposite. The poetic story of Bill and Frank broke some viewers’ hearts.
For some of them, the realistic film set allowed them to work more intuitively. They didn’t have to imagine the abandoned buildings around them; they were a part of them. The fact that they had never been in such a setting before intensified the situation and the apocalyptic feel.
“I think it was very realistic for the time and especially for the world the characters live in, but it felt in no way foreign or artificial to me,” says Storm Reid, who plays the role of Riley.
Here you can watch a trailer for The Last of Us:
The realistic film set catapulted him to the scene
One of the most challenging tasks fell to Lamar Johnson, who had to embody a heart-wrenching moment in the role of Henry. A sequence that contained few words but conveyed the entire tragedy and sorrow of the sudden loss of a loved one.
Despite the psychological strain and heaviness of the theme, Johnson benefited from the practical production environment that helped him shape his role:
There were stains in the carpets. It felt so inhabited. Even the doorknobs were rusty. The walls, the ceiling, every single corner, the furniture, the choice of lamps and lighting. The details in this room really transported me to the place where we were filming. […]
There were prop weapons, but also real weapons, in case I wanted to feel the weight of the gun. They provided us with a variety of items that were conducive to our performance and helped us get exactly where we needed to be emotionally.
Lamar Johnson via IndieWire
On the film set itself, Johnson spent a lot of time with Keivonn Woodard (Sam). The open conversations between the two series brothers about death led to an opportunity to build a deep connection, Johnson explains. Woodard also looked to him for guidance. When Johnson took time to process heavy scenes, Woodard also utilized the quiet moments for himself.
And given the heaviness of the theme and the emotional intensity of the scene, that was undoubtedly crucial.
An important part of the overall process was also to create a balance – between the responsibility to be ready for this film set and taking enough time for oneself.
Johnson also worked a lot at home. Therefore, it was important for him to escape those spaces, to observe people, and to eat out. He wanted to enjoy time outside of the film set.
Johnson watched the episodes with his family. Before everyone was finished with the episodes, he refrained from commenting. Especially at the end, it became very emotional for the family members. For him, it was something very special to have his family there, but also to see his own development that he went through in the episodes and with the characters.
Johnson’s scenes represented the last days of filming for the entire crew and thus the climax for many involved. Being a part of that and witnessing a years-long process enriched his time.
The Last of Us as a preparation for further projects
Being part of this series and something so special prepared him for future experiences and disappointments. He wants to grow as an actor and face further challenges.
“I want to work on projects I might not have thought of and collaborate with people I am inspired by,” says Lamar Johnson.
A strength of the series is that the creators take time for emotional side plots. It surpassed the hopes of MeinMMO editor-in-chief, who wrote a spoiler-free conclusion.
