- "The Last of Us" crew wasn't allowed to use the word "zombie" on set.
- Cinematographer Eben Bolter told The Credits they were barred from using the word on set.
A fungus may have technically zombified humans on HBO's hit series "The Last of Us," but don't expect to hear the cast or crew use the "Z" word.
According to cinematographer Eben Bolter, who worked on episodes three and four of the apocalyptic drama, the word "zombie" wasn't allowed to be used while making the show.
"We weren't allowed to say the Z word on set. It was like a banned word," Bolter recently told The Credits.
"They were the Infected. We weren't a zombie show," Bolter added. "Of course, there's tension building and jump scares but the show's really about our characters; The Infected are an obstacle they have to deal with."
It's a little strange the series completely ignores and goes out of its way to avoid the label.
In real life, the fungus, named Cordyceps, infects ants, taking them over to control their bodies. Put simply, they become zombified ants.
On "The Last of Us," humans have been hacked in the same way and have become zombified primal beings controlled by the Cordyceps.
Although they're infected with a fungus, they're also, technically, zombies.
"TLOU" isn't the first big apocalyptic series to abstain from using the descriptor.
"The Walking Dead" also refused to use the word "zombie" in its 11-season run.
Instead, the AMC series used a bunch of other monikers derived from the comic of the same name to avoid the term, including "walkers," "biters," and "geeks."
According to creator Robert Kirkman, the word simply didn't exist in that universe.
Bolter told The Credits that the primary focus of "The Last of Us" isn't the infected anyway. Its main focus is on a teenager, Ellie (Bella Ramsay), who may be a cure to the infection, and her cross-country journey to a group that wants to create an antidote to the Cordyceps.
"It's not a cliché zombie movie, it's not Hollywood backlit where everyone's close-up is perfect. It's a world of organic cinematic naturalism, and that's something I could just feel," Bolter said.
You can read Bolter's full interview here.