A remote Pilbara town has provided the backdrop for HBO’s hit TV series The Last of Us, Karratha Bugle can officially confirm.
Series producers have revealed Newman, in the remote northwest, extensively hosted The Last of Us’ production team during filming for the show’s widely anticipated second season.
The Last of Us was an international hit when it launched on HBO in 2023, receiving critical acclaim across the world.
Season two hit screens earlier this month.
Based on the videogame of the same name, it follows the struggles of two central characters Joel Miller (Pedro Pascal) and 14-year-old Ellie (Bella Ramsey) as they attempt to survive in a post-apocalyptic world.
While filming for season one was completed in North America, producer Greg Spence confirmed to this outlet that a dramatic change of course had moved production for the sequel to outback Australia.
“We were searching for somewhere that embodied the desolate, hopeless situation Joel and Ellie find themselves in – somewhere completely without life, but where ghosts can almost be seen still walking the streets and outside buildings,” Mr Spence said.
“As soon as we stepped off the plane onto the tarmac in Newman, we knew – this is it. This is the place.
You don’t get that feeling – that deep certainty about a location – more than a few times in a career.”
The scenery was cleverly disguised with trees, snow, lakes and even entire buildings using CGI in post-production, he said, to transform it into its North American setting for the show.
Mr Spence explained a series about a world in which most inhabitants had been infected by a brain-rotting virus seemed to fit perfectly with the Newman backdrop, which added to the ease with which filming came together.
“Most of the extras didn’t even need make-up!” he said.
“Each morning we sent a bus down to the ovals to pick up willing participants, gave them a feed, a Woolies voucher and then told them where and when to walk.”
Kept hush-hush from locals, Mr Pascal, an acclaimed fan-favourite of the screen, reportedly spent much of his time at the Red Sands and on the fairways of the Fortescue Golf Club.
Mr Spence said Mr Pascal, a Chilean-American, had attempted to mix with locals at the Newman Hotel, but left after being told “no Mexicans”.
Screenwest, WA’s peak lobby group for local film projects, and the State Government, said they were both enthusiastic about the project going ahead.
“In 100 years this is the first project we’ve ever suggested for outside the South West or Denmark-Albany,” a spokesperson for the Department of Local Film Productions said.
“To be perfectly honest, we hadn’t ever heard of Newman or the Pilbara. “We had to go out and buy new maps just to find it.”
