Rutina Wesley plays Maria on HBO’s The Last of Us and she recently admitted that taking on the role was something terrifying.
“It’s terrifying playing a character that’s been established, even though it’s a game,” she told Entertainment Weekly in an interview. “But I also was up for the challenge of playing her in my way and putting my energy on it to see what people would think of that.”
Wesley joined the series in Episode 6 as Maria, the leader of a settlement where Pedro Pascal’s Joe finds his brother Tommy, played by Gabriel Luna. Maria and Tommy are married and have a baby on the way, which is the reason Wesley feels her character gravitated to Bella Ramsey’s Ellie.
“When you are going to be a mother at some point, I think she naturally gravitates towards Ellie in that motherly way without her really even knowing she’s doing it,” Wesley said. “It’s her instinct because she can’t help that fact. Also, I think that Maria is challenged by Ellie in a way that she secretly loves. I think there’s a part of Maria that’s looking at Ellie like, ‘Who is this little girl?’”
Maria’s character continues in The Last of Us Part II and as HBO confirmed a second season, Wesley is hopeful she will return.
“I’m looking forward to something if they decide to come my way. I’m totally excited about that, because I did have fun playing with Gabe. He’s really great,” she added. “It would just be like icing on the cake. This is enough where it is ’cause it is a huge hit. So if it didn’t happen, I’d be great with it because this show is really good.”