Actor Appreciation

Joel Miller is one of the most memorable characters in video game history. The voice of the main protagonist of the first game, The Last of Us, Troy Baker had portrayed Joel since 2013. Not only the voice, but he also did the motion capture for the character. Baker's voice balances both the gruff toughness and deep emotional vulnerability as Joel fights to survive the post-apocalyptic world.

Baker passed the baton of playing Joel to Pedro Pascal for the live action TV series adaptation, but it was not the end of Baker's involvement with the franchise. *SPOILERS* In Episode 8, “When We Are in Need,” Baker portrayed James, the right-hand man of cannibalistic cult leader David. He expressed that the challenge he had with the character was how to not make him a villain, "to find some level of truth to him and empathy. And if I can make you care about him a little bit, that makes you hate him even more." (Troy Baker, Variety)