How Merle Dandridge became the only The Last of Us game actor to reprise role in the series   Creators Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin say the new scenes with Marlene and Ellie in the premiere will bring "a greater payoff" by the end of the show. Nick Romano By Nick Romano January 16, 2023 at 02:20 PM EST Warning: Mild spoilers from HBO's The Last of Us premiere are discussed in this article. Merle Dandridge holds a unique position within the cast of HBO's The Last of