Manny Wasn't The Only Key Character Recast In The Last Of Us

Published Aug 22, 2026, 2:30 PM EDT

Zach Moser has been writing for ScreenRant since 2022, covering movies, classic TV, and streaming TV. His areas of expertise cover a wide range of genres with a particular interest in horror and drama, and the conversations around the TV and film industry. When he's not covering the latest film releases or chronicling the latest season of a new show, he's writing humor pieces for McSweeney's Internet Tendency, Slackjaw, and Points In Case or working on short stories and his second novel. 

Last year, it was revealed that Danny Ramirez's role as Manny in The Last of Us would be recast, but it's not the first time an important character had to be recast on the show. Manny is one of the former Fireflies in HBO's The Last of Us season 2, and an ally of Abby's (Kaitlyn Dever) who helps her take revenge on Joel (Pedro Pascal).

In late 2025, it was revealed that the role would need to be recast as Ramirez had a scheduling conflict. A month later, it was announced that Jorge Lendeborg Jr. would be taking on the role of Manny. Lendeborg Jr. is best known for his role as Jason Ionello in the Tom Holland Spider-Man movies.

Because The Last of Us season 3 will likely be focusing more on Abby, it's probable that Manny will play a bigger role in the season as well. It will take some adjusting, but Lendeborg Jr. should slip into the role easily. It's actually not the first time that a character in The Last of Us has had to be recast.

Bill, who appears in the memorable, moving season 1 episode, "Long, Long Time", was originally supposed to be played by Con O'Neill, but he was replaced by Nick Offerman before filming began. O'Neill is one of those HBO regulars, the actors who you see pop up for brilliant moments in multiple shows, but whose names you can't always remember.

He played the odious Viktor Bryukhanov in Chernobyl and Chief Mackenzie Bock in The Penguin (and The Batman). O'Neill would have been excellent for the role, but he ended up getting replaced by Offerman, who wound up winning the Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series award at the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards.

Why The Last Of Us Needed To Recast The Role Of Bill

Credit: MovieStillsDB

Con O'Neill had to step back from The Last of Us because, like Ramirez, he had a scheduling conflict. O'Neill's conflict was with another HBO show, Our Flag Means Death, where he plays Izzy Hands, the First Mate to Edward "Blackbeard" Teach (Taika Waititi). O'Neill was announced alongside Murray Bartlett, who did end up appearing in the episode as Bill's partner, Frank.

How Nick Offerman's Role As Bill Impacted The Last Of Us' TV Show Adaptation

Credit: MovieStillsDB

While O'Neill could have certainly done a great job as Bill, Nick Offerman feels made for the part. Ron Swanson is so believable as a prepper type, ready for the apocalypse years before anyone else. When the fence goes up around his new home, you're sure that no infected is getting through something he's built.

He also brings a wounded aspect to the character. While it seems he's never been touched romantically by another man, it also seems like he's never been touched by anyone in a romantic way. This is someone who has been looking forward to the apocalypse and has lived their life in splendid isolation for decades.

How Offerman slowly becomes a human, with all the love, fears, and petty grievances of anyone living a life, is a reverse of the infected, who lose their humanity. It's a powerful performance and one that holds together the whole episode. Frank knows who he is; the arc is Bill's.

Offerman pulls it off masterfully, and his chemistry with Bartlett, who also received an Emmy nomination in the same category, is why "Long, Long Time" is one of the best episodes of The Last of Us.

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