Matthew McConaughey could have played Joel in The Last of Us, but says ‘it just wasn’t for me at the time’
Matthew McConaughey revealed in a podcast interview that he was approached to play Joel Miller in HBO’s The Last of Us TV adaptation but ultimately declined the role. The actor confirmed he was in discussions with showrunner Craig Mazin about the part and gave serious consideration to accepting it.
McConaughey explained that at the time, he was not actively pursuing acting roles and was instead focused on writing and exploring leadership opportunities in life. Despite this career pause, he acknowledged that the Joel role genuinely excited him. The revelation offers a glimpse into the casting process for one of the most anticipated video game adaptations in recent years.
Pedro Pascal ultimately took on the iconic role of Joel Miller in the HBO series. McConaughey discussed his near-involvement during an August 13 episode of the Happy Sad Confused podcast, showing that major stars were considered for the lead role before Pascal was selected.