‘The Final of Us’ Director on That Main ‘Half II’ Connection, Pedro Pascal’s Tearful Reunion and the Beneath-Freezing Canada Set

SPOILER ALERT: This interview accommodates spoilers from Episode 6 of “The Final of Us,” now streaming on HBO Max.

HBO’s “The Final of Us” collection simply took a significant leap to the online game’s sequel, “The Final of Us: Half II,” that followers are certain to acknowledge: The snowy Jackson, Wyoming, settlement the place “Half II” begins was faithfully recreated in Episode 6 — regardless of not showing within the authentic recreation.

It’s the primary main connection to “Half II” that the present has made. With out spoiling the occasions of the sequel, the wintery Jackson city is a significant location within the opening hours of the sport. Within the authentic “The Final of Us,” gamers study Jackson from Tommy (Gabriel Luna) and Maria (Rutina Wesley), however they primarily keep on the hydroelectric dam encampment and see Jackson solely at a distance. The part of the sport additionally takes place throughout the fall, not the winter.

HBO has already renewed “The Final of Us” for Season 2, which looks like an ideal alternative to return to this established Jackson set for the sequel’s story. This model of Jackson, nonetheless, was really created in Canmore, a small city 50 miles west of Calgary, in Alberta, Canada, the place a lot of “The Final of Us” was filmed.

Filmmaker Jasmila Žbanić, born in Sarajevo, Bosnia, made her TV directorial debut with Episode 6, titled “Kin.” Her most up-to-date movie, “Quo Vadis, Aida?,” was nominated for greatest worldwide characteristic on the 2021 Academy Awards. It dramatized the harrowing occasions of the Srebrenica bloodbath in 1995, when greater than 8,000 Bosnian males had been killed throughout the Bosnian Warfare of the Nineteen Nineties. Žbanić’s expertise surviving the Siege of Sarajevo throughout the struggle influenced how she directed the episode, by which Joel (Pedro Pascal) is reunited along with his brother Tommy within the burgeoning Jackson settlement.

“There was no electrical energy, no meals, nothing. However we managed to outlive due to solidarity and the way in which town was restructured. You need to begin from zero. That have for me was one thing that I felt very shut about Jackson,” Žbanić stated, including that “The Final of Us” creators Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin had been all for her background because it associated to the episode.

With Selection, Žbanić mentioned the below-freezing temperatures in Canmore, filming the extremely emotional reunion between Joel and Tommy and why working with the animal handlers on set was “heaven.”

How conversant in the online game had been you? Did you watch movies of “The Final of Us: Half II” to know what Jackson seemed like?

Once I obtained the job, I didn’t know something in regards to the recreation, so I needed to actually educate myself with what it’s. I purchased the sport and I attempted to play it, after which I watched loads of YouTube movies of individuals enjoying it. I used to be watching the half that considerations my episode 1,000,000 occasions. I used to be speaking loads with Neil about all of the environment of town and what he had in thoughts, and what’s additionally not there. There are some parts that Craig added to the entire piece. I used to be additionally speaking to loads of avid gamers. I at all times ask, “What do they need to see? What do you anticipate from the sport?” They’d be saying to maintain these feelings and environment. These two issues had been like a guidelines for me. I might verify with every scene that they’re there.

Did you discuss with creators Druckmann and Mazin about why they wished to include Jackson from “Half II” into this episode?

I didn’t actually speak about it, as a result of for me it was very pure. What we talked loads about was that I survived the struggle in Sarajevo within the ’90s. I believe for Craig and Neil, it was fascinating that I used to be type of dwelling in a spot which was like Jackson in a approach, as a result of we had been surrounded by the Serbian military, we had been continuously bombarded. We needed to be on alert, we needed to survive, we needed to learn to stay with out something, with out civilization. There was no electrical energy, no meals, nothing. However we managed to outlive due to solidarity, and the way in which town was restructured. You need to begin from zero. That have for me was one thing that I felt very shut about Jackson. It’s a neighborhood that features, and I discover it actually lovely and hopeful as a result of I actually consider even within the worst catastrophes, like struggle, I survived. Individuals are capable of hold the society. They don’t seem to be at all times the enemy to one another. So I used to be actually completely happy to direct this episode that actually stated one thing that I deeply consider in.

The reunion between Joel and Tommy was so candy, however their relationship turns very rocky. What course did you give them to painting this up-and-down, brotherly relationship?

We had been very fortunate as a result of we had the chance to have rehearsals earlier than we had been on the set. The set was fairly tough due to the chilly climate. Typically it was even -15 levels Celsius, so very, very chilly. That scene with Tommy and Joel was particularly taken care of. They’d be studying it, act, repeat and making an attempt completely different stuff. In addition they urged some adjustments, so it was very deep for each of them in every scene. It was so lovely, as a result of it’s a really lengthy scene within the shoe store. It’s a really emotional scene for Pedro. I used to be filming him as a second; first we filmed Gabriel, after which I observed that every time we repeated, Pedro was crying. He was not on digicam, however he was crying as a result of he was giving his companion all the things in order that he can act. That is very particular. It’s so beneficiant of an actor to do that so deep. I used to be amazed by Pedro’s expertise.

How did the “I certain as hell ain’t your dad” scene between Pedro and Bella go?

It was so emotional. Typically I might be crying behind the digicam as a result of they had been so truthful and exquisite. This relationship is so touching. I actually like that it’s altering from the start to the tip. It’s only one episode, however it has so many adjustments of their relationship, which is admittedly nice.

There’s the flashback to Joel and Sarah placing up Christmas ornaments, which wasn’t within the authentic recreation. The place did that scene come from?

I believe the second got here out after Craig and I talked about sure issues, how Joel is at all times making an attempt to not join his feelings towards Ellie with feelings that he has for Sarah as a result of he buried these. It’s actually arduous for him once they come up. Ellie is simply bringing all the things out. Due to this type of Christmas environment in Jackson, songs that he hears, all of the lights and feeling of normality, he’s not capable of hold it in anymore. It’s out. That’s the place he begins connecting, “OK, these feelings are actual, and it’s for her.”

With the freezing temperatures and all of the animals, had been there any obstacles that got here up in taking pictures?

Look, I’m coming from Bosnia, from a really loopy movie business. We make one movie per 12 months. So we don’t have superb professionals like America has. So for me, nothing was a problem, however a present. For instance, I might discuss to individuals who had been canine trainers and they might inform me, “Make a script of what you need our canine to do.” I might say, “One leg up, this face, how a lot the canine ought to open its mouth.” Every part. Then they might include that and the canine would realize it precisely. I used to be joking that in Bosnia it wouldn’t be doable. You’ll have a canine, and if the canine is offended, it’s offended. There’s nothing like that. For me, all of this was not a problem, however a complete pleasure to work with such professionals. The folks coping with horses had been superb. You simply inform them, “I would like the primary horse one meter away from the second, then three of them.” They’d do it and hold it all through the scene. For me, it was simply heaven to work this manner.

Within the recreation, Joel falls off a balcony and will get impaled on a chunk of metallic, however on this episode he will get stabbed. Why was that modified?

I obtained it within the script, and I actually favored it as a result of it was extra delicate. Ellie thinks they made it, after which it’s a shock. In any other case it might be instantly over. I actually favored how Craig wrote it. They journey, she’s hopeful, they go on collectively — after which it’s a shock.

And the opposite main change is that Tommy and Maria predict a toddler. How do you assume that may find yourself for them within the apocalypse?

We wished to present this sense of hope that this society has. Life doesn’t cease. It at all times goes on; even within the worst circumstances, life goes on. For me, it is a actually necessary contact that Maria is pregnant. It makes Tommy’s choice a lot, a lot heavier that he accepted to take Ellie. It makes all the things arduous, with extra drama for Tommy.

This interview has been edited and condensed.