Pedro Pascal’s 30 Rock debut should be a piece of non-fungal cake after battling vicious Clickers.
The Chilean actor, who plays apocalypse survivor Joel Miller on HBO’s “The Last of Us,” will host “Saturday Night Live” on February 4, he announced on Instagram Thursday. Coldplay will appear as a musical guest on next week’s episode, marking the band’s seventh appearance on the NBC sketch comedy series.
“The Last of Us” is an adaptation of the hit 2013 video game and stars Pascal alongside “Game of Thrones” actress Bella Ramsey. It is set in the near-future United States, where a fungal pandemic has turned the majority of the population into powerful, predatory zombies.
Given the subject matter, “The Last of Us” has already been compared to AMC’s popular zombie drama “The Walking Dead,” which concluded its 11-season run last fall. Pascal enjoys apocalyptic thrillers like “28 Days Later,” but says this series is unlike anything else in the genre.
“This is about a relationship in a very, very intimate way, more than any other dystopic show I’ve ever seen or been a part of,” Pascal recently told USA TODAY. “At the heart of this vast and terrifying world, there is something so small and intimate.”
Pascal explained that he was inspired by his character Joel’s emotional wounding after losing his daughter, Sarah (Nico Parker), at the start of the outbreak.
“I don’t consider myself a tough guy, but I liked the idea of grief existing within such a tough exterior, and the impossible way of burying it,” Pascal explained. “That character’s emotional journey map is so beautifully drawn.”
This weekend, who will host ‘SNL’?
Pascal’s appearance on “SNL” will follow that of “A Journal for Jordan” star Michael B. Jordan, who is set to host the show on Saturday alongside musical guest Lil Baby.
Aubrey Plaza, the star of “White Lotus,” hosted “SNL” last weekend, with musical guest Sam Smith.