‘Last of Us’ Star Announces Exit Ahead of Season 3

“The Last of Us” premiered on HBO in January 2023 and quickly became one of the network’s biggest shows. Now, ahead of production on the third season, there’s been an abrupt cast change: Danny Ramirez is departing. 

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Variety reported on Ramirez’s departure from “The Last of Us” on December 29. This comes as the actor has a scheduling conflict due to one of the many other projects he’s attached to. Ramirez joined the hit series during its second season, playing Manny.

His character is described as “a loyal soldier whose sunny outlook belies the pain of old wounds and a fear that he will fail his friends when they need him most.” Manny is part of the Fireflies group in the series, which seeks revenge against Joel, played by Pedro Pascal. His role will be recast.

Danny Ramirez Is a Busy Man These Days

Ramirez has an impressive career in additon to “The Last of Us,” but he’s perhaps best known for playing Jaoquin Torres in “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.” He’s also been in films and shows such as “Assassination Nation,” “Top Gun: Maverick,” and 2022’s “No Exit.”

According to IMDb, Ramirez is also set to appear in the upcoming “Avengers: Doomsday,” which is currently in post-production. Regarding why he can’t film “The Last of Us,” most assume it’s because of his role in the also upcoming “Avengers: Secret Wars,” which will enter production in 2026.

Ramirez spoke to Men’s Journal in June 2025 about what it means to him to be a Marvel star. He said, “I think for me, it was about getting to play on a real elite level. There’s an idea of taking on responsibility, which is a privilege. If you don’t have any responsibility, you have nothing really, no skin in the game, and you can’t really show what you’ve got. And so I think from Joaquin and Sam’s relationship, it’s about showing the world what you’ve got.”

Filming for ‘The Last of Us’ Will Begin Soon

HBO has not confirmed when production on season three of “The Last of Us” will begin. However, it has been rumored that the cast and crew will start shooting in April. There have been some changes to the show’s creatives. Notably, Neil Druckmann is stepping back from writing and directing.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Craig Mazin is taking over as the sole writer for the upcoming series. It’s worth noting that he’s also one of the show’s cocreators.

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