In the latest season of The Last of Us, new twists are keeping fans hooked with each episode. Director Mark Mylod, who’s been getting a lot of praise for his work this season, recently shared an emotional moment that nearly broke him.
In an interview, Craig Mazin, the show’s creator, explained how he really wanted Mylod to direct The Last of Us from the start, but Mylod was busy working on the hit show Succession at the time. Mazin recalled their first conversation about it, saying, “I really wanted to get Mark on season one, but he was working on Succession.”
Mazin added a funny but telling moment: “Then he did the dumbest thing. He was on one of those Emmy campaign panels where directors were asked, ‘If you could work with anyone, who would it be?’ and he said, ‘Craig Mazin.’ So, I texted him, ‘You fucked up.’”
Despite this, Mylod came on board and directed one of the standout episodes of the season, which featured intense emotional scenes and epic battles. Reflecting on one of the most moving moments from episode two, Mylod mentioned a scene that deeply affected him.
In this scene, Joel is killed by Abby, and the aftermath is filled with raw emotions—grief, anger, and loss. Mylod described the shot as “about desolation, absolute finality, and loss.” He said they intentionally shot the scene in a simple, understated way to focus on the character’s humanity and vulnerability.
He added that the top shot was meant to feel “final, judgmental, and hopefully heartbreaking” to convey the desperate need for physical connection in that moment. The director admitted that this scene moved him to tears while filming, showing how deeply he connected with the emotional weight of the story.
