The Last of Us: No offense to the haters, Steven Spielberg loved the Bill & Frank episode

It’s no secret that The Last of Us is going to be the event of this beginning of the year. And his first season was flawless. Although the HBO series was widely praised by viewers and critics, Steven Spielberg was one of the first people to praise it, according to director Peter Hoare.

It was he who shot the 3rd episode titled “Long, Long” and told the magazine The Hollywood Reporter that series creator Craig Mazin received a letter from Steven Spielberg himself. The latter praised the love story presented in the third episode.

“I didn’t get it directly, but Spielberg’s letter went to Craig Mazin, the writer of my episode of The Last of Us, the writer of all episodes.“, explained Peter Hoare.

“He shared it with me, Nick Offerman, Murray Bartlett and Ben Bolter. Basically, a whole group of middle-aged men started screaming because their idol realized who they were.“.

And Peter Hoare continues: “I think he probably knew who everyone else was, but he didn’t know who I was. And now he probably forgot“.

The director touched the story “UniversalBy Bill and Frank – Nick Offerman and Murray Bartlett – as a multi-year love story set against the backdrop of the apocalypse.

“Craig may be straight, but he has the warmest heart– says Peter Hoare.I think that’s part of why it’s so universal, because the focus was on love, not gender.“

He adds: “I had a lot of conversations about Bill’s character. Everyone says, “Billy is a gay man. I asked, “Is that so? He may be. But he didn’t really define himself in those terms. “

Craig wrote from what he knew, having been married for several years. He knew the elements that determine the success or failure of a relationship and it was taken into account. These elements are universal.

I didn’t want it to feel like it was the story of one group of people. I think it would not have been a success if it had been. This would give the impression of a niche appeal.“

In turn, Murray Bartlett told IndieWire That scene in which Bill and Frank eat strawberries for the first time since the outbreak somehow strengthened the episode to become a real linchpin in the overall story of the season.

“How wonderful it is to play that “what if these things weren’t available?” scene when you get the chance to overcome the unbelievable and actually taste a strawberry for the first time, it’s extraordinary.Bartlett explains.

“This episode and this series is full of lessons about that kind of perspective and appreciation of things. I’m not saying that every strawberry I eat from now on will be an orgasmic experience. But it definitely got me thinking.“

No wonder Steven Spielberg sent this letter to Craig Mazin. We remind you that in 2013 he was the president of the Cannes Film Festival jury. On this occasion, he awarded the Palme d’Or to Abdellatif Kechiche’s La Vie d’Adèle, which tells the story of the passion of two young women.

The film was so disastrous that in an unprecedented move, the jury together with the director decided “special sizeawarded the two main actresses of the film, Adele Exarchopoulos and Léa Seydoux, with the Palme d’Or.