Jeffrey Wright from “The Last of Us” Season 2 | HBO
“You want to do justice to the work and the character’s justice…and if you do, I think the expectations of the fans will be met – and more.”
I sit in the quiet meeting room of a luxurious Sydney hotel. To the left of Jeffrey Wright, the windows offer views of the gorgeous circular quay postcards. At one point he gestures towards the picturesque scene.
“My son was a fan so I said yes,” he says. “And now, I’m talking to you about it in Australia because this game has become this much-loved global phenomenon, this show.”
In our final season 2, Wright recreates the role of Isaac Dixon, the character he first portrayed through our final voice and motion capture: Part II. Isaac was a small but powerful figure in the game. He is the calculation commander of the Washington Liberation Front. Now, in the live action, Lights step into a story that is just heavy. The season already brings great losses and character turns, and there’s no shortage of passionate responses from fans online. Isaac enters the frame as a big new entity.
Of course, Wright is not someone who is used to high stakes storytelling. His resume runs deep in projects such as Westworld, The Batman, The Hunger Games and the James Bond franchise. When it comes to playing in a world built on secrets, expectations, and extremely passionate fans, he knows the game.
Keep secrets and give hype
“I’ve been working on shows that have similar levels of expectations around them,” he says. “I think you’ll need to hide something in the pot until it’s time to serve food.”
He knows that characters like Isaac arrive in a season where the ground is already burning – bringing him a certain level of tension. “Fans have this greedy appetite for this series. You don’t want to ruin it,” he says. “And, as you know, the old nasty social media out there… they’re already guessing what’s going on with everything – Isaac is included.”
Still, he has not declined. “I enjoy dancing – a secret dance.”
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Jeffrey Wright from “The Last of Us” Season 2 | HBO
“The strength of America lies more than anything else, its cultural product.”
Respect for Fandom – without supplying algorithms
The lights were around the internet long enough to know how quickly things could helically become. He admits the pressure to enter a world like this, but he does not negate his instincts.
“The worry is when you’re part of something that doesn’t have fandom,” he says semi-scattered. “Is someone going to see it? It’s much more worrying. This is much better.”
But while the fandom may be big, Wright doesn’t let that online voice lead him to his creative choices. He understands and appreciates his passion, but his focus remains firmly in his work. “You want to respect that,” he says. “But it’s not about scrolling through social media and getting people’s opinions. I think this is becoming more and more clear that it’s generally an unhealthy movement.
It’s not about coordinating the audience or chasing their approval. For Wright, it means trusting the material – serving the characters, writing, arcs – and letting the work speak for itself.
A story bigger than a role
Wright is not here to push the theory of March or echo fans. For him, storytelling is serious – not in a self-important way, but in a very human way.
“Storytelling is an important part of the human experience,” he says. “In a sense, the laws governed by society are essentially a collection of told stories that are communicated to each other and through it we understand how our society is ordered.”
He pauses a bit and adds:
That weight, he argues, will become even more important in times of uncertainty. “People are looking for something that can connect in a real way. It’s something that tests how they feel, reflect, or reflect concerns. Does that make sense?”
For Wright, the story isn’t just about entertaining. They form perception. “I always thought America’s strength lies more than anything else, in its cultural output,” he says. “The shows we make, the stories we tell, the music we make — really draw people from around the world towards America more than anything else. It’s not the military, it’s not now. It’s cultural relevance. It’s a cultural achievement.
Isaac’s character from the game “Our Last: Part II” | Sony PlayStation
“My son was a fan, so I’m part of it.”
Return to uniform: Build Isaac for the screen
Isaac may feel new to many HBO viewers, but for Wright, the character is already built. He’s deepening him now.
“It’s an extension of what’s been done in the game,” he says. “Be as authentic as possible. Look back at the characters he was present in the game. And obviously, I expressed it and worked on MoCap, so it was very easy.”
Production stays close to the sauce and is visible immediately. “It was in the costume – and to some degree of face – we certainly used it as a blueprint for the character’s holy grail,” he says. “Added some dimensions to the character and as viewers could see, where did he come from, why?
And while it may feel like a strategic casting now, Wright wasn’t involved because of long-term franchise plans. In fact, he joined our universe last for his son.
“Neal (Drackman, co-creator) suggests an invitation to join the game,” he explains. “Westworld actress Shannon Woodward said she was working on the game. Westworld writer Halley (Weglin) Gross wrote for the game and for the show.
Then the real pitch came. “I asked my son if he knew anything about the game. His eyes fell down his head. He was very excited. And I said, it was really easy.
It remains grounded when the camera stops
All the weight his character is carrying – warrior posture, cold decisions – Light brings no energy with him.
“Yeah, that’s going to be a pretty miserable place,” he laughs, and is asked if the show’s mood would remain between the take. “The trick behind what we do, at least for me, is that it’s all an illusion. It’s not my daily reality, nor the reality of who I am, and when the camera stops rolling, I turn it off immediately.”
He smirks. “I’m not going to walk around all day as Isaac.”
Our final season 2 is currently being played on HBO and MAX.
