(In Hugo Weaving voice) Mr. Anderson.

Patrick Wilson joins The Last of Us season 3 as Abby’s dad

(In Hugo Weaving voice) Mr. Anderson.

By Nick Romano

Nick Romano

Nick Romano is a senior editor at ** with 15 years of journalism experience covering entertainment. His work previously appeared in Vanity Fair, Vulture, IGN, and more.

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March 16, 2026 7:24 p.m. ET

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Patrick Wilson joins 'The Last of Us' season 3 as the father of Abby (Kaitlyn Dever, pictured). Credit:

Liane Hentscher/HBO;Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic

Patrick Wilson of *The Conjuring* and *Aquaman* fame joins *The Last of Us* season 3 in an intriguing role, while *Matlock *star Jason Ritter will appear as a WLF soldier.

Wilson will play Jerry Anderson, ** has learned. Jerry is the father of Kaitlyn Dever's Abby and the Firefly surgeon Pedro Pascal's Joel Miller gunned down in his killing spree at the end of season 1.

Jerry is the whole impetus for the show's current storyline; his death prompted Abby to hunt down and kill Joel, which then caused Bella Ramsey's Ellie to launch into a retaliatory vengeance mission.

Darren Dolynski in 'The Last of Us' season 1 finale. Liane Hentscher/HBO

The InSneider was the first to report the news.

Darren Dolynski played the role of Mr. Anderson in the season 1 finale, but he remained behind a surgeon's mask. Wilson's casting in the role signals that season 3 will make a similar narrative choice to the video games. In 2020's *The Last of Us Part II*, Abby's narrative includes a particular flashback to her childhood with her dad.

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Derek Phillips prominently played Jerry Anderson in *The Last of Us Part II*.

*The Last of Us* season 2 focused on Ellie's cross-country journey with Dina (Isabela Merced) to track down Abby and her crew through Seatlle. The finale ended on a cliffhanger confrontation between Ellie and Abby before flashing back to now chronicle the same amount of time but from Abby's perspective.

This marks Wilson's return to HBO after playing significant roles in the 2003 miniseries adaptation of *Angels in America* and a guest-starring role on *Girls* season 3. He was most recently seen on the big screen in *The Conjuring: Last Rites*, which closed out his run as demonologist Ed Warren opposite Vera Farmiga as wife Lorraine Warren.

Kaitlyn Dever as Abby in 'The Last of Us' season 2 finale.

Liane Hentscher/HBO

Ritter previously played an infected, known as a "Clicker," in season 1, when his wife, Melanie Lynskey, starred on the horror series. He plays WLF soldier Hanley in season 3.

Wilson and Ritter join Jorge Lendeborg Jr. as a newcomer to the cast in season 3. Lendeborg Jr. subs in for Danny Ramirez, who left his post as Manny due to scheduling conflicts.

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HBO head Casey Bloys signaled the* Last of Us* season 3 premiere is "definitely planned for 2027."

Craig Mazin now serves as the sole showrunner and lead writer on the adaptation after developing the first two seasons with game co-creator Neil Druckmann. Druckmann announced he was stepping back to focus on making the next big video game for his gaming home at Naughty Dog, but he's still staying on as an executive producer.

"Co-creating the show has been a career highlight," he said in a statement released in 2025. "It's been an honor to work alongside Craig Mazin to executive produce, direct, and write on the last two seasons. I'm deeply thankful for the thoughtful approach and dedication the talented cast and crew took to adapting *The Last of Us Part I* and the continued adaptation of *The Last of Us Part II*. I look forward to HBO and PlayStation Productions continuing Ellie and Abby's story next season."

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