Joel voice actor Troy Baker appears in episode 8.
Warning: This article contains spoilers for The Last of Us episode 8.
Fans of The Last of Us have been thrilled to see voice actors from the game included in the show — and episode 8 was no different, as it introduced Troy Baker’s James.
Baker is best known for playing Joel in The Last of Us games, and takes on the character of James alongside Scott Shepherd’s terrifying David.
The latest instalment of the HBO show sees things go from bad to worse for Ellie as she desperately attempts to heal Joel, who is still fighting for his life after being stabbed.
She’s then kidnapped by David, before realising that he’s part of a cannibal group who are out to find Joel as vengeance for a man he killed.
Thankfully, Joel manages to get Ellie out of there before the end of the episode, but they’ve still got quite the journey ahead of them as they attempt to provide a cure to save the world.
Who are David and James in The Last of Us?
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David, played by Scott Shepherd, is the leader of a religious group in The Last of Us, who are revealed in episode 8 to be cannibals.
He tells Ellie that it was a last resort after food began to run out, and that he couldn’t let his people starve, adding that only a few people know.
He is out for vengeance after Joel killed one of his men and therefore kidnaps Ellie, as well as sending his men after Joel, who is fighting for his life after being attacked at the university.
While David initially attempts to convince Ellie to join his group, he then tries to kill her before she manages to take his life.
James, played by Troy Baker (the original voice actor for Joel in the games), is David’s right-hand man, but at times seems to lack faith in him. He’s eager to kill Ellie and appears to doubt David’s decisions to let her live, but goes along with it.
He gets his comeuppance when he and David attempt to kill Ellie, as she takes advantage of their hesitation and plunges a machete into James’s throat before making a break for it.
Speaking to RadioTimes.com and other press about playing James, Baker explained: “In the game, James serves a very simple purpose and that is to show that David has these people that he controls, and that there are people who listen to David and fear David.”
He added: “David is looking for an equal and James very much wants to be that equal, he just can’t get there.”
Who is David actor Scott Shepherd?
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Shepherd is known for his roles in various popular films, including alongside Tom Hanks and Mark Rylance in Bridge of Spies in 2015.
He’s also appeared in Jason Bourne, and El Camino: A Breaking Bad Story, as well as playing John Grey in X-Men: Dark Phoenix.
Who is James actor Troy Baker?
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Baker is best known for voicing Joel in The Last of Us and The Last of Us Part II video games.
As well as voicing Joel, he’s voiced characters in other video games including BioShock Infinite, the Uncharted franchise, and Final Fantasy XIII.
He recently told RadioTimes.com and other press of landing a role in the TV show: “I’m grateful that they thought there was a place for me, I’m glad they gave me a role that was really fun to explore, and I’m just excited for everyone to wrestle with it, everyone to see this episode.”
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