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There Was 1 Word Banned From 'The Last of Us' Set

There Was 1 Word Banned From 'The Last of Us' Set

The Last of Us is HBO’s latest hit TV show and fans are riveted every week with the re-imagining of the video game of the same name.

Now, we’re learning that while they were making the Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey-led series, there was one word that was completely banned from the set.

Keep reading to find out more…

Apparently, the cast and crew were not allowed to say the word “zombie.”

“We weren’t allowed to say the Z word on set,” cinematographer Eben Bolter told MotionPictures.com. “It was like a banned word. They were the Infected. We weren’t a zombie show.”

Eben continued, “Of course, there’s tension building and jump scares but the show’s really about our characters; The Infected are an obstacle they have to deal with. For example in Episode Three, Ellie hears an Infected trapped under some rubble. Initially, she’s scared, but then you see her grow in confidence, cutting open the Infected and looking at the fibers. Through that interest, you see what the Infected means in Ellie’s own life. She was born into this world that’s completely gone to hell because of this thing and now, maybe she has inside her a solution to this thing. We see Bella’s performance as she goes from wonder to hate and you start to think, wow what is this girl capable of? There’s darkness and anger in there. So [even in scenes featuring the Infected], it’s character first and then just tell the story.”

Eben added, “It’s not a cliché zombie movie, it’s not Hollywood backlit where everyone’s close-up is perfect. It’s a world of organic cinematic naturalism, and that’s something I could just feel.”

The show was recently renewed for a second season, but will Bella‘s Ellie be recast?!

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Photos: Getty
Posted to: HBO, The Last of Us