When you shot the therapy session with Pedro Pascal in Episode 1, did you know about what happens in Episode 6?
It’s like, OK, that’s what acting is — and Bella and Pedro are great actors.
And I really wanted to be there for Pedro, for Joel, and be Gail for him.
“Where is everybody else?” “They’re at Ruth’s house.” We never get to see Eugene and Gail together on the show.
At the end, though, for that whole CinemaCon scene [in Episode 9], I had COVID.
SPOILER ALERT: This article reveals significant plot points in “The Price,” Season 2, Episode 6 of “The Last of Us,” which is currently available to stream on the Max service.
Catherine O’Hara was thrilled about the prospect of playing a therapist in a post-apocalyptic society when Craig Mazin, co-creator of “The Last of Us,” called her to offer her a part in the second season of the HBO series. “That person is in charge of anyone’s mental health in this world—what an absurdly demanding job!” she exclaims over Zoom. “I laugh at that. “”.
With her memorable roles in films like “Beetlejuice” and “Home Alone,” the Christopher Guest comedies “Waiting for Guffman,” “Best in Show,” “A Mighty Wind,” and “For Your Consideration,” as well as her Emmy-winning role on “Schitt’s Creek,” O’Hara has been entertaining audiences since her days on the Canadian sketch comedy series SCTV in the late 1970s. Although she has experience with dramatic roles, she has never been given a character as intense as Gail, the only licensed mental health professional in Jackson, Wyoming, who provides her services in exchange for marijuana and alcohol.
well-liked by Variety.
Joel (Pedro Pascal) comes to Gail in the Season 2 premiere to discuss his inability to connect with Ellie (Bella Ramsey). However, Gail encourages Joel to share the secret he has been keeping since they first met. She tells Joel she despises him for killing her husband, Eugene, even though she knows he had to, primarily because of Joel’s method of doing so, in an effort to get him to open up. We find out what Joel actually did in Episode 6, which was written by Mazin, Druckmann, and Halley Gross and directed by co-creator Neil Druckmann. When Joel and Ellie find Eugene (Joe Pantoliano) shortly after he has been bitten by an infected, Eugene implores to be taken back to Jackson so that he and Gail can exchange their final words. Joel, on the other hand, kills Eugene in accordance with the town’s regulations, brings his body back to Gail, and lies to her about Eugene’s final remarks. However, Gail slaps Joel and orders him to leave after Ellie interrupts to tell the truth because she cannot stand Joel’s deceit.
O’Hara talked to Variety about working with Druckmann on that scene, how Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey are similar to Meryl Streep, how much she knew about Eugene when she filmed the first episode, and working on her other critically acclaimed TV series this year, the comedy “The Studio” on Apple TV+. She also discussed why she continued to work after contracting COVID.
Did you know what was going to happen in Episode 6 when you filmed the therapy session with Pedro Pascal in Episode 1?
She was very harsh and angry with Joel, and I didn’t understand why. Even the sixth episode had escaped my notice. Craig must have explained the direction at the outset, but I hadn’t read anything. It’s like, “Whoa, I’ve got some attitude, okay?”.
What might have happened, did you think?
Oh, I see. Actually, it is in that opening scene. “You did what you had to do, and I know you had to do it,” she says. He was forced to do that, though. She is aware that he was fighting to keep the town safe. It is not his fault that Eugene became infected, which is the horrifying aspect. The terrible thing is that Eugene was attacked.
How did your time working with Pedro go?
Oh, it’s pretty. Whoah. He is all that you wish him to be and all that people imagine him to be. He is adored by everyone, and for good reason. He simply exudes warmth and kindness. He and Bella are both incredibly talented actors, so he has a gift that makes you think you’ll be friends for life. They have a very lovely gift that allows them to distance themselves from the world they live in, “Last of Us.” Thank God they have it, because what a world it is to be in. They are both so relaxed and authentic in between takes. Meryl Streep and I had the opportunity to collaborate on the film “Heartburn” many, many years ago, and it was the same with her. In all of her films, I got to see her in the most dramatic moments, and then: “Cut!” “Anyway, I went out with this guy in high school…” Just talking about anything. It’s like, “Well, that’s what acting is,” and Pedro and Bella are excellent actors.
Do you get approached for non-comedic roles like this one very often?
I suppose it’s often enough, but not like this show. I was assured I wouldn’t get infected, so this was really unique. That’s a relief, then. “Are you going to get infected? Did it get you?” was the first question your friends asked. You prepare for comedy or drama with the same effort. When it comes to comedy, you have to get some laughs while still trying to contribute what you’re meant to.
If it’s not too personal, did you use any personal therapy experiences to inform your performance and the way Gail interacts with her clients?
It might have been different if you had seen Gail with other clients, but in this instance, it was very intimate [for her]. Eugene had a birthday. She was drinking when she experienced that emotionally charged scene. Many years ago, I did attend therapy for roughly six months. When I was going through a crisis, I was fortunate enough to have a very good therapist. I’ve said it every day, but someone asks, “Why do you say that?” “What? What do you mean?” She simply made me see things and hear myself. I guess I didn’t think to bring that much [to my performance], but she was just really good. Perhaps I did unconsciously, but I didn’t focus on it because I was too preoccupied with Joel and Eugene, the birthday, drinking, and the demands of this job. The dialogue was simply loaded.
Gail freely admits to anyone who will listen that she uses marijuana and alcohol as self-medication. However, I doubt that you ever portray her as inebriated or intoxicated. What led you to make that decision?
We just agreed, I suppose. Perhaps we never even talked about it. I had no desire to perform while intoxicated. Although I enjoy playing drunk, it’s not always a good way to connect with someone. You know that when you’re intoxicated, you’re thinking about yourself. You just come out with nonsense. Furthermore, I genuinely wanted to be Gail for Pedro and Joel both. That person must know how to keep things buzzing or high, I suppose. She’s probably just sipping. Yes, I requested a cup. I thought the concept was good. A lovely woman used to live down the street from my childhood home. She would drink all day long, but she did so from a cup. To make us kids believe she was drinking milk, she added milk to her whiskey. We would spend our days hanging out with this stunning woman. They’re at Ruth’s house. Where are the others? “.”.
Eugene and Gail are never shown together on the show. Did you give them a backstory of any sort?
Not exactly. I didn’t have to. The page had it on it. I did not meet Joey Pantoliano, nor did I witness his shooting. However, as you watch that scene, you can see how much Gail means to him in his eyes.
“I want to hear what she’s going to say [to me]” was an intriguing statement. “She wanted to forgive him for something? Oh, that’s what he wants to hear,” was my initial thought. He wants to know if Gail is alright. But then I understood that, no, he really does trust her to be professional and to love him, so she would know what to say to help him deal with death. That’s killer! I was struck by that. I started crying at that. Their love is evident. Despite not witnessing any of it, you believe that relationship. The killer of that entire episode.
Neil Druckmann told me that he used a whisper instead of a scream when he asked you to do so in the scene where Gail discovers that Joel was lying to her about Eugene’s death. Regarding the scene’s filming, what do you recall?
My agent forwarded this to me, and I read it. I suppose I was just so focused on what we were doing that day that I didn’t consider it that way. I asked myself, “Did I argue with him? Or I disagreed? Is that what I did?”. Certain notes or line readings can offend actors, and it’s ridiculous because you just shut down, which is the least creative thing you can do. No, I don’t feel that. You have faith in them, and you know they are knowledgeable—Neil, of course. He may have said, “Yell at him,” but I just assumed that he was asking me for the scene and that I should figure out what’s missing or what he was searching for. Although I can’t recall that, I believe you should use the directors’ words as their interpretation of what they want from you. I believe that’s my job, he said during the interview. In order to push Joel away, he desired to sense something from Gail. That is the point at which the pain and rage start. Joel, thank you for at least bringing him to me, she thinks just before that. However, when you receive notes and you are confident that the people are knowledgeable, I believe you should relax. You do close down and occasionally you can work with strangers. “Thank you, I’ll take care of that. “Duly noted,” my husband says. “.”.
What has it been like to watch this show and “The Studio” simultaneously?
Beautiful! You can never be sure who will watch. I was aware that they would watch “The Last of Us,” but I was hoping they would also watch “The Studio.”. But it’s the routine work that matters and that you can rely on. It was a lot of fun to work on “The Studio.”. Ten-page scenes were repeatedly performed in a single [take]. The fact that you do so many takes without any coverage is fantastic. It was so fun, genuine, unfiltered, and organic. The way that Evan [Goldberg] and Seth [Rogen] collaborate makes them an excellent team. They are incredibly cooperative, open, and ridiculously creative all at once. Everyone on the cast, including Ike [Barinholtz], Kathryn [Hahn], and Chase [Sui Wonders], is excellent. It was a lot of pleasure.
However, I had COVID at the end of that entire CinemaCon scene [in Episode 9].
Oh my!
That was all I could see while watching that one, and I contracted COVID at The Sphere. I can see that my posture is just [droops her body]. I didn’t test because we had to shoot all those scenes in order to wrap up shooting and leave town in a day or two. I simply stayed away. I had a water bottle on the floor at one point, and Evan approached and asked, “Oh, do you want your water?” I told him, “No, don’t pick it up!” and I just knew, “Don’t touch anything!” Thank God I didn’t give it to anyone.
Anyway, I apologize for not even answering your question. I was extremely fortunate that they came out at the same time that I was meeting friends, and they said, “Wow, are you in everything?” I replied, “No! I haven’t worked in like a year!”.
Do you anticipate returning for upcoming “The Last of Us” seasons?
I don’t know. Craig stated unequivocally that it would not be this season. It’s the story of Abby. Perhaps so. But I believe it was for Joel and Ellie’s benefit.
What do you think Gail was doing in Episode 2, when the entire town was being attacked by the infected, based on your viewing of the show?
She was in one of those basements or attics with a group of people, only assisting them in relaxing, coping with the fear, and possibly sharing a joint.
This interview has been shortened and edited.
