The most dramatic scene in Episode 6 made the filmmaker cry as well.
Jasmila Bani, the director of HBO’s The Last of Us Episode 6, claimed that the most emotional moment made her cry behind the camera. The following contains spoilers for The Last of Us: Episode 6.
Speaking in a recent Variety interview, Žbanić discussed her first TV directorial debut and spoke about how certain pivotal moments in the episode were filmed. The scene in which Joel expresses his anxieties to his brother Tommy and sobs, while also explaining why Tommy must take his place in taking Ellie across the country to the Fireflies. Bani stated that the moment was “very well-executed” and “really deep” for both actors.
“That was very wonderful since it’s such a long scene in the shoe shop,” remarked the director. “This is an emotional scene for Pedro. I was recording him as a second; initially, we filmed Gabriel, and then I observed that Pedro was weeping every time we replayed. He wasn’t on camera, but he was crying since he was giving everything to his partner so he could act. This is truly unique. It’s incredibly kind of an actor to go so deep. Pedro’s talent astounded me.
Ellie’s showdown with Joel, in which both unwittingly admit their genuine affections for each other, was another crucial plot point in the episode. Ellie brings up Joel’s daughter Sarah in the scene and tries to clarify that she is not her. When asked about filming the sequence, notably the line where Joel says, “I sure as hell ain’t your father,” bani revealed that it was emotional behind the scenes.
“Sometimes I’d cry behind the camera because they were so honest and beautiful,” she explained. “This is such a touching relationship. I really appreciate how it changes from beginning to conclusion. It’s only one episode, but it has brought about so many changes in their relationship, which is fantastic.”
