Video game adaptations have a long and uneven history on the big and small screen. In the past, we've seen projects that have been absolutely terrible, and some of them went on to lost unfathomable amounts of money. In recent years, however, the genre has truly taken off, and there is hope that studios finally know what they're doing when it comes to adapting beloved games.
This year marked the debut of The Last of Us, and things are off to a hot start for the show. It seems like the show has gotten everything right, including its casting.
Anna Torv has been exceptional on the show, and for many viewers, she looks awfully familiar. Let's take a look at what she was doing before The Last of Us!
'The Last Of Us' Is One Of TV's Best Shows
If you're tuned in to what's going on in entertainment, then you already know that The Last of Us is a global sensation that is being regarded as one of the best shows on TV.
"After a global pandemic destroys civilization, a hardened survivor takes charge of a 14-year-old girl who may be humanity’s last hope," HBO wrote of the show's premise.
As if that wasn't interesting enough, the show happens to be based on a wildly successful game, and it features outstanding performers like Pedro Pascal, Bella Ramsey, and Anna Torv.
Torv plays the character Tess, and she has been brilliant in each episode. She is doing great work on the show, and prior to this, she was gaining valuable experience on the big and small screen alike.
Anna Torv Previously Starred In Movies Like 'The Daughter'
One of Torv's most notable movie roles was in the 2015 film The Daughter. Directed by Simon Stone, the film is a drama that explores the complex relationships between family members. Torv plays the role of Anna, a woman who is struggling with her own personal demons while trying to come to terms with her father's past.
In addition to The Daughter, Torv has also appeared in the 2017 horror movie Stephanie. Directed by Akiva Goldsman, Stephanie is a story about a young girl who is left alone in her family's home after a mysterious event wipes out the rest of her family.
In Stephanie, Torv plays a key role in the film, and as fans would expect, she turned in another solid performance. The film, however, did not get a warm welcome from critics.
"Overall, Stephanie has some really great ideas, but sadly slightly gets in its own way. By cutting out some of the exposition, chopping off the bookends of the movie, and setting the entire story in the house and in the house alone, this movie could’ve been on a whole other level. It’s still enjoyable and unique and worth watching, and especially fearsome for parents, but in the end, the monster in Stephanie is made less scary by shedding too much light on its source material," Bloody Disgusting wrote in their review.
Torv's big screen work has some bright spots, but her TV work has been superb.
Anna Torv Starred On Shows Like 'Fringe,' And 'Mindhunter'
On the small screen, Torv has turned in some brilliant work on outstanding shows, with two of them being of particular note
Fringe is an outstanding series created by J. J. Abrams, Alex Kurtzman, and Roberto Orci. The show premiered back 2008, and ran for five seasons. Anna Torv played the lead role of FBI agent Olivia Dunham. The show follows Olivia as she investigates strange occurrences with her team, including a scientist named Walter Bishop (John Noble) and his son Peter (Joshua Jackson).
Torv's portrayal of Olivia Dunham received critical acclaim from audiences and critics alike. In fact, her performance was so impressive that she won the Saturn Award for Best Actress on Television in 2009 and 2010. Additionally, Torv was nominated for a Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Actress in a Drama Series in 2012.
In 2017, Torv starred in the crime drama Mindhunter, which premiered on Netflix. The show was created by Joe Penhall and produced by David Fincher. Torv played the role of Wendy Carr, a psychologist who works with FBI agents to study and understand the behavior of serial killers.
Torv's performance in Mindhunter was once again praised by audiences and critics alike. Her character, Wendy Carr, was portrayed as a smart, intelligent, and driven woman who was unafraid to challenge the norms of her profession. Torv's portrayal of Wendy was fantastic, making her character stand out among the other cast members.
These days, the actress is crushing it on The Last of Us. She truly has a penchant for turning in exceptional work on the small screen.