The Last of Us Season 3 is coming together, as HBO has reportedly cast Michelle Mao and Kyriana Kratter as Yara and Lev.
Confirmation comes from Deadline and follows rumors that Kratter and Mao had been picked to play the Seraphite brother and sister duo earlier this month. It’s a casting update that finally reveals who will be playing live-action versions of two of the most important characters from The Last of Us Part 2 video game the show is based on.
Warning! Spoilers for The Last of Us Part 2 and potentially The Last of Us Season 3 follow.
Yara and Lev first appeared in The Last of Us Part 2 as a pair of loyal allies who help Abby (played by Kaitlyn Dever in the show) during later portions of the game. Season 3 is expected stick to the source material by telling its story from Abby’s perspective, suggesting Yara and Lev will continue to be play crucial roles. Lev appears as an especially important character, with his story being a crucial element through to late portions of the game.
Deadline reports that, like the game, Lev is a 13-year-old transgender boy in The Last of Us show. Originally portrayed by trans actor Ian Alexander in the 2020 video game, it’s Kratter who producers went with for the live-action role. Her casting follows what the site says was “an inclusive casting call” held by HBO that saw “young performers of different backgrounds auditioning.”
Kratter previously appeared in shorts like CopyCats and Dear Felicity before landing a leading a leading role as KB in 2024’s Star Wars spinoff, Skeleton Crew. Mao is probably best known for her part in Netflix’s Bridgerton but also appeared in A Big Bold Beautiful Journey, Zi, Goosebumps, and more. They join other recent additions, such as Patrick Wilson as Abby’s father Jerry and Jason Ritter as a Washington Liberation Front (WLF) member named Hanley. Ariela Barer, Tati Gabrielle, and Spencer Lord are all also back as Mel, Nora, and Owen, with Jorge Lendeborg Jr. stepping in to take over as Manny.
The Last of Us Season 3 currently has no release date but is expected to be the show’s final season. For more, you can read about why fans may want to expect Season 3 to be longer than the seven-episode Season 2.
Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He’s best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).
