Washington DC [US], April 7 (ANI): The American post-apocalyptic drama 'The Last of Us' has resulted in an 'unhealthy mindset' for the lead actor of the series Pedro Pascal as it is hard for him to separate the emotional pain of the characters from reel to real life, reported People.

Pedro Pascal plays the character of a strong-willed and protective father figure to Ellie, played by Bella Ramsey amidst a world-shaking apocalypse in the series.

During a press conference, the actor shared that he can relate to the protective qualities of his character Joel in real life, leading to mental toll and unhealthy mindset.

'I'm pretty fiercely protective. I'm protective of the people that I love. And I think that's probably the main component that I relate to.' said Pascal as quoted by People Magazine.

Pascal also acknowledged the mental toll that comes with playing a character such as Joel, saying,

'It's this experience, more than any I've had. It's hard for me to separate what the characters are going through and how it makes me feel. In a way that isn't very healthy,' he continued as quoted by People.

'And so, I kind of feel their pain I suppose, so I suppose I was in an unhealthy mindset,' 'The Last of Us' actor added ahead of the premiere of the second season of the series on HBO on April 13.

He seemed eager for the hit show's second season, which is based on the video game The Last of Us and credited the series' success to the work that went into its production.

'I think there's something that is really exciting about basically giving everyone another season of a show that everyone loved and that everyone has worked so hard on and has put so much into,' Pascal said.

HBO unveiled the first official trailer for the highly anticipated second season at SXSW, last month, giving fans a glimpse of what's to come, which will feature intense action, new characters, and dangerous threats.

The trailer begins with Ellie (Bella Ramsey) sneaking through an abandoned building, looking tense as she moves carefully over broken glass. A dog can be seen in the background, and the scene quickly shifts to a mysterious graveyard with wooden crosses draped in medallions.

The show, based on the popular PlayStation game by Naughty Dog, will return with its second season on April 13, 2025. (ANI)