The Last of Us came to an end on Monday, closing the final chapter on one of the biggest TV events of the year. Starring Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, HBO’s hit drama – based on the 2013 video game of the same name – has received universal acclaim and attracted a huge viewership in both the UK and US.
Across the pond, the finale broke the show’s own viewership record, being watched by a series high of 8.2m people, especially impressive considering it aired alongside the Oscars. In episode nine – titled Look for the Light – Joel and Ellie finally make it to Salt Lake City in the hope of finding the Fireflies, who plan to use Ellie’s immunity to create a vaccine for the Cordyceps fungus.
The episode also included an almost identical recreation of one of the game’s most iconic moments. As Joel and Ellie make their way through the city, they come across a giraffe eating leaves on the side of a building.
READ MORE: The Last of Us differences between the final episode and the game
After a moment spent interacting with the wild animal before it walks off with the rest of its small herd, leaving Joel and Ellie to admire the view. The scene offers a touching moment between the pair, giving Ellie a moment of childlike joy amid the devastation she has witnessed.
Discussing the scene in an HBO Max behind-the-scenes video, Ellie actress Ramsey said: “It’s a joyful moment for Ellie, and for Joel seeing Ellie finally be a glimmer of who she used to be after the trauma that she’s faced. Everything that she’s experienced hasn’t gone away, it’s just this moment of beauty, so precious its almost sad.”
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This scene – including their ensuing conversation about finishing what they started – is lifted straight from the game, with almost identical dialogue and even the same score. The moment also offers some impressive visuals, with the giraffe grazing amongst a back drop of Utah’s devestated capital city.
But perhaps more impressive – in a time where CGI is used so heavily in film and TV production – is that the giraffe was really there. In the Making of The Last of Us HBO Max documentary, it was revealed that Pascal and Ramsey filmed the scene with a real giraffe called Nabo.
The pair filmed with the animal against a blue screen, with visual effects used to add the surrounding environment later. On filming with Nabo, Ramsey said: “Giraffes are pretty massive. It’s like a spiritual experience almost, being so close to such a magnificent animal.”
The episode’s location manager, Matt Palmer, added: “Shooting with Nabo the giraffe will certainly be one of my favorite experiences. You can create a giraffe in visual effects, but it’s just not the same.”
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