The Last of Us costume designer has taken Digital Spy behind the scenes of HBO's video game adaptation.
In an exclusive interview as part of our Costume is Character series, costume designer Cynthia Summers detailed how the production not only needed to find pieces from 2003, when the apocalypse breaks out, but from before that, as the characters' clothes are likely taken from the backs of peoples' drawers.
She also discussed the difficulty of finding the right jacket and shirt for Pedro Pascal's Joel, as well as detailing the actor's reaction to his costume, which is quite different from the grandiose costumes of Game of Thrones and The Mandalorian.
Related: The Last of Us episode 3 included a HBO Easter egg you missed
Summers said: "When he we had our first meeting and we're just chit chatting and getting to know each other, I was like, 'well, so it's a little utilitarian.' And he was like, 'Thank God!' and I was like 'well, okay, good!'
"This show is really about performance, it's less about grand costume, which makes it harder. As we all know as people trying to find the right pair of jeans... all of those really basic pieces, are really hard to find, just personally."
She continued: "So if you take that and you apply that to an actor who also now has to embody a character, but still feel comfortable in it. This goes for any kind of costuming, you know, but with jeans and T shirts, it's like it's double the trouble. With the jeans we were lucky, and I want to say he [Pascal] tried on maybe two pairs and we landed on the pair that we used.
"But with the Wrangler shirt, the denim shirt, we went through a lot."
Related: The Last of Us boss explains the meaning behind episode 3's song
Summers added: "And you know, sometimes it doesn't all work out, but generally it does and that's the best moment because it's like finally seeing your art in front of you, living and moving and that brings it all alive and that makes sense of what you've done. Hopefully!"
The show has been renewed for a second season after airing just three episodes, and if you want to know what the fuss is about, the first episode is available to watch for free right now.
The Last of Us airs on HBO in the US, and on Sky Atlantic and streaming service NOW in the UK.
Best Entertainment and Tech Deals
