Warning, spoilers. It is recommended that you watch The Last of Us Episode 9 before you continue reading this article.
A true success in early 2023, The Last of Us series ends its inaugural season with the ninth and final episode, which sets an audience record on HBO in the United States. The adaptation of the famous video game by Neil Druckman and Craig Mazin will end the journey of Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) in a United States devastated by a pandemic caused by the fungus Cordyceps.
After many disappointments and many hardships, the duo finally arrive in Salt Lake City to track down a group of fireflies who believe that Ellie may be the key to curing a fungal infection due to her immunity.
But before they can get to the hospital, Joel and Ellie are dismayed to discover that a herd of giraffes is roaming free in a city where nature has reclaimed its rights and where Cordyceps rules its law. These magical and unexpected nails allow Joel and Ellie to share a privileged moment in their relationship, but also to have fun with the giraffe.
This sequence is a very popular stage adaptation among video game fans, so it’s no surprise that this inevitable moment is in the TV adaptation. And fans loved this passage, especially since it looks so natural. And there is a very specific reason.
A real giraffe in The Last of Us!
No, you’re not dreaming, the giraffe featured in the last episode of The Last of Us is not fake. This is actually a real giraffe named Nabo. And this Maasai giraffe lives in the Calgary Zoo in Canada, where the other giraffes we can see live in the episode.
Many fans criticized the giraffe on social media, thinking it was a special effects version. And many of them are wrong! As production designer John Paino explains varietyTime was running out: “I’m sure Alex Wang, the visual effects supervisor, could do a CGI giraffe if we had the time.”.
The scene in question in the series is a mix of reality with balcony decor and giraffes and a blue background and visual effects, especially for the horizon. According to John Payno, everything was worked out to make the giraffes comfortable:
“We had to see if we could get the giraffe used to strangers feeding him, with a very small film crew on site. There was an indoor hall with a balcony and an outdoor one where the keepers looked after him.”
For a month and a half, John Paino’s team installed screen panels around the enclosure, and keepers and trainers worked to get the giraffes to eat out of a stranger’s hand.
“It’s Alex’s Hollywood Magic”John Paino continues, “It was probably the most complex assembly of VFX scene, scene and real location I’ve ever worked on”. And the result is stunning and praised by most fans!
The Last of Us series is available in its entirety on Prime Video.
Source: Allocine
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
