# John Goodman and two game stars join The Last of Us

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/the-last-of-us-season-3-casts-john-goodman-video-game-stars-laura-bailey-and-ian-alexander/
- Published: 2026-09-26T16:12:24+00:00
- Updated: 2026-09-26T22:38:51+00:00
- Original publisher: Variety
- Original article: https://variety.com/2026/tv/news/the-last-of-us-cast-john-goodman-laura-bailey-ian-alexander-1236876091/
- Topics: Celebrity, Entertainment, Gaming, TV

## Key points

- John Goodman and two video game stars cast for potentially final season
- Bailey and Alexander return in different roles from Part II game
- Season 3 premieres next year with expanded ensemble cast

## Summary

HBO's postapocalyptic drama "The Last of Us" has announced three major cast additions for Season 3: established actor John Goodman and video game stars Laura Bailey and Ian Alexander. This casting is particularly noteworthy as the series approaches what may be its final season, with Craig Mazin assuming sole showrunner duties following Neil Druckmann's departure. Both Bailey and Alexander previously played different characters in "The Last of Us: Part II" video game, marking a significant return for established performers from the source material to the television adaptation.

Goodman will portray Joey, one half of the "Heroes of the Highway" duo, whilst Alexander plays Paco, the other member of the pair, and Bailey takes on the role of Elizabeth, a leader of the Seraphites religious sect. The expanded cast also includes previously announced additions such as Clea Duvall, Patrick Wilson, Jason Ritter and Jorge Lendeborg Jr., alongside returning cast members including Kaitlyn Dever, Bella Ramsey, Isabella Merced, Gabriel Luna and Jeffrey Wright. Additionally, Ariela Barer, Tati Gabrielle and Spencer Lord have been promoted to series regular status for the third season, which is scheduled to air on HBO next year.

## Coverage

- [Variety: John Goodman and two game stars join The Last of Us](https://variety.com/2026/tv/news/the-last-of-us-cast-john-goodman-laura-bailey-ian-alexander-1236876091/)
- [Polygon: The Last of Us Season 3 Casts Abby And Lev's Game Actors In Different Roles](https://www.polygon.com/the-last-of-us-season-3-casting/)
- [Collider: HBO's 'The Last of Us' Season 3 Officially Recruits 2 Stars From the Original Games](https://collider.com/hbo-the-last-of-us-season-3-cast-john-goodman-laura-bailey-ian-alexander/)

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.