'He had trouble separating it from the fact I was in a TV show': The Last Of Us star Murray Bartlett reveals his partner was 'really affected' by his aged-up transformation in moving episode
- WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD FOR EPISODE THREE OF THE LAST OF US
The Last Of Us star Murray Bartlett has revealed that his real-life partner was 'really affected' by his ageing transformation in the HBO series.
The actor took centre stage in the third episode of the drama, which portrayed a love story between his character Frank, and doomsday prepper Bill, played by Nick Offerman, earning praise from fans and critics.
The episode depicted the pair's love story over the course of 20 years, under the guise of a devastating apocalypse caused by a deadly fungal outbreak.
Makeup was used to age-up Murray and Nick's appearances after Frank was hit by a debilitating illness, as he and Bill ended their lives together in heartbreaking scenes.
Speaking to The Independent at a press event ahead of the episode, which aired on Sunday, Murray admitted his partner struggled to separate his real-life appearance from his on-screen performance.
Moving: The Last Of Us star Murray Bartlett has revealed that his partner was 'really affected' by his ageing transformation in the HBO series
Discussing the hair and makeup department who helped to transform him for the scenes, Murray said: 'Man, they just did such an extraordinary job.
'I will say, my partner who I watched the episode with was really affected by it... He turned to me at the end and was like, ''I don't want you to get sick'' [laughs]. So he really internalised it and obviously had trouble separating with the fact that he was watching me in a TV show, which I think is a good sign.
'Not a good sign about me possibly getting sick as an old man but the integrity of the work was powerful for him.'
In the episode's closing moments, an aged Frank, who is suffering from a degenerative disease, asks Bill to help him end his life, and the pair get married before sharing a final meal together.
As Bill fills Frank's wine glass with a deadly dose of pills, he reveals he has also taken the same amount, and the pair retire to bed before dying in each other's arms.
The moving episode was a stark change in tone for the apocalytic drama, based on the game of the same name, offering a full glimpse into Bill's past and his relationship with Frank.
The zombie outbreak sees closeted doomsday prepper Bill take in traveler Frank, with the pair falling in love and remaining together for all their lives - with fans lauding Bill's romantic line: 'I'm old. I'm satisfied. And you were my purpose.'
Viewers took to social media to praise the show for depicting a gay romance through a positive lens, with one writing: 'The last of us created one of the most beautiful depictions of love and devotion and growing old together i can't stop thinking about it it was perfection'.
Emotional: The actor took centre stage in the third episode of the drama, which depicted a love story between his character Frank, and Bill, played by Nick Offerman
Different! Makeup was used to age-up Murray and Nick's appearances after Frank was hit by a debilitating illness, as he and Bill ended their lives together in heartbreaking scenes
Different: Murray (pictured last month) admitted his real-life partner struggled to separate his appearance from his on-screen performance
Emotional: The episode has been lauded by fans and critics alike, with many praising stars Nick Offerman and Murray Bartlett for their performances
Nick has also received praise from fans for his performance in the gay romance, with some stating he is the only straight actor allowed to play a gay role.
But Nick's performance has changed many minds and convinced viewers that he is the 'exception to the rule'.
The preview for next week's episode teases a first look at Melanie Lynskey's character Kathleen as Joel and Ellie keep heading West in their new truck.
HBO announced last week - when it renewed The Last of Us - that the series premiere episode has surpassed 22 million viewers through on-demand formats, five times the audience for the linear broadcast.
In love: In devastating scenes, Frank, who is suffering from a degenerative disease, asks Bill to help him end his life, and the pair get married before sharing a final meal together
Lauded: As Bill fills Frank's wine glass with a deadly dose of pills, he reveals he has also taken the same amount, and the pair retire to bed before dying in each other's arms
Episode 2 of The Last of Us tallied 5.7 million viewers across HBO Max and linear telecasts in the U.S. Sunday night, based on Nielsen and first party data, adding more than 1 million new viewers vs. the series premiere.
This 22% jump marks the largest week two audience growth for any HBO Original Drama Series in the history of the network.
The Last of Us was also a hit on social media, with the series trending #1 both in the U.S. and worldwide on Twitter during its series debut.
To date, season one teasers and trailers have amassed more than 100 million views globally.
Additionally, the first episode of the series' companion podcast hit #1 on the Apple Podcast US charts across all genres within 48 hours of its release.
The Last Of Us is released on HBO Max in the US, and airs on Sky Atlantic in the UK.
High praise: Viewers took to social media to praise the show for depicting a gay romance through a positive lens
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