HBO will recast the role of Manny for Season 3 of The Last of Us after actor Danny Ramirez exited the series because scheduling conflicts will keep him from returning, according to reporting published Monday. A replacement has not been announced.
Ramirez appeared in four Season 2 episodes as Manny Alvarez, a former Firefly who survives Joel’s hospital attack at the end of Season 1 and later aligns with Abby and her group as they pursue revenge. When the character was announced, he was described as “a loyal soldier” whose upbeat exterior masks old wounds and anxiety about failing his friends.
The casting change lands as Season 3 prepares to shift its point of view. Showrunner Craig Mazin has said Abby’s Seattle story will take center stage next, mirroring the video game structure that pivots perspectives midstream. In the game, Manny was voiced by Alejandro Edda, a contrast that fans now cite as evidence the role can survive a performer change, even if continuity becomes harder to maintain on screen.
Ramirez’s exit also reflects a familiar scheduling squeeze for actors moving between franchise tentpoles and prestige television. Ramirez has been attached to Marvel projects, including Avengers: Doomsday, set for a Dec. 18, 2026 theatrical release, and he has continued to build his profile with studio films alongside his TV work.
Season 3 will move forward with another key behind-the-scenes change already in place. Neil Druckmann, co-creator of the original games, said in July that he made “the difficult decision” to step away from day-to-day creative work on the HBO series before Season 3 writing ramped up, saying he would focus fully on Naughty Dog’s future projects while staying on as executive producer. Writer Halley Gross also announced she would step back from the show.
Mazin, speaking after the Season 2 finale, framed Ellie and Abby as characters whose certainty is starting to crack, telling reporters they are “in moral trouble” and still changing in ways the audience has yet to see.
