Josh Peck says it was an ‘honor’ to appear on ‘The Last of Us’ in surprise cameo

By Alli Rosenbloom, CNN

(CNN) — Josh Peck appeared on Sunday’s episode of “The Last of Us,” a surprise cameo the former Nickelodeon star says he was honored to do.

Peck’s cameo on the HBO drama came at the very start of the fourth episode of Season 2 and even though his character died just moments into the episode, Peck wrote on his Instagram page Sunday that it was “a tough secret to keep.”

“It was an honor to play a small part in one of my favorite shows, with one of my favorite actors ever,” he added.

The “Drake and Josh” star also posted a carousel of photos from set, including a shot posing with actor Jeffrey Wright while the two are in costume.

Peck played a FEDRA soldier who told an inappropriate story to his fellow soldiers in a flashback scene before he and his crew are killed when their tank explodes.

The episode also marked the first time that Wright – who voiced the character of Isaac in the video game on which the series is based, a role he is reprising on screen – appeared this season. Isaac is the quietly powerful leader of a large militia group.

Kate Herron, who directed the episode, told Entertainment Weekly in an interview published Monday that it was “so fun” to secretly cast Peck for the part.

“We had people read [for the part], obviously. Josh’s read came in, and Josh is fantastic. We were like, ‘We need to get Josh,’” she said. “I love the idea we get to Drew Barrymore him in ‘Scream.’ People just wouldn’t see it coming.”

The fifth episode of “The Last of Us” will air on Sunday at 9 p.m. ET on HBO, with the episode available to stream on Max.

(HBO and Max, like CNN, are owned by the same parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery.)

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