After a somewhat divisive Season 2, The Last of Us Season 3, which will largely shift to Abby’s POV, has reportedly cast Li Jun Li in the role of Lev and Yara’s mother. Although notable for her work in The Exorcist TV series, Li’s breakout role arrived in last year’s Sinners, one of the most celebrated movies of 2025 (via Deadline).
Li will be playing a Seraphite, named Mariam, while Kyriana Kratter and Michelle Mao will star in the shoes of Lev and Yara, respectively. While Li’s character doesn’t have a lot to do in the game, as she isn’t even referred to by her name, given the success of Li, it’s safe to say she’ll be given a lot more in the adaptation.
Who is Miriam in The Last of Us: Part 2?
Credit: Naughty Dog
Credit: Naughty Dog
Even for players who are familiar with the game, the name Mariam might not ring a bell, and it’d be reasonable. In The Last of Us: Part 2, Lev’s mother is never referred to by name, and we don’t even meet her in person.
On paper, she can be essentially boiled down to a plot device. However, there’s more to her character on a thematic front, as she’s the last bridge between Lev and the Seraphites. In the game, Lev’s mother resembles the absolute extreme of Seraphite ideology, a rigid religious faction that enforces strict roles and traditions.
Despite being on the run, Lev returns to Haven, the Seraphite island, in an attempt to convince his mother to accept him for who he is and to leave the island amid the impending war between the WLF and the Scars. While naive on his part, it ultimately leads to a confrontation, and when we finally find Lev, he is sitting anxiously in front of his dead mother, whom he killed in self defense.
The tragedy of her character is that she is not outright villainous, but years of conditioning and rigid doctrine have hardened her to the point where she cannot recognize her own son’s struggle and instead clings to her beliefs.
The Last of Us 3 Needs to Give Miriam the Bill and Frank Treatment
A still from The Last of Us Season 1 | Credit: HBO
While thematically important to the story, as it offers a glimpse into the tragic truth behind religious fanaticism, we never really meet Lev’s mother, nor witness the confrontation that led to her death.
It is safe to say HBO did not cast the Sinners star for no reason, and there is a good chance we will get a more thorough look at Haven and Seraphite culture. Moreover, The Last of Us is no stranger to such storytelling, as one of its best episodes revolved around Bill and his lover Frank, a character who, once again, gets little to no screen time in the game.
Given the buzz surrounding Li Jun Li following her Sinners performance, it is not far fetched to assume a similar treatment, potentially through an episode dedicated to Haven and Lev and Yara’s backstory. While time will tell if it can reach the heights of Long, Long Time, if executed well, it could heighten the sense of tragedy and offer something fresh even for players of The Last of Us 2.
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The Last of Us is available to stream on HBO Max (USA).
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
