When “The Last of Us,” HBO’s critically acclaimed post-apocalyptic drama, returns for its second season on April 13 it will be available in American Sign Language, a first for a major TV show. Viewers will be able to choose to watch the video game adaptation with professional deaf performers Daniel Durant and accessibility advocate Leila Hanaumi signing on screen. As of March 31, viewers will also be able to watch the first season of “The Last of Us” in ASL as well.
The show joins recent movie releases on the Max streaming platform that include support for ASL: “Barbie,” “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” and “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.” For those who don’t use ASL, it might seem trivial, but for Rachel Berman-Kobylarz, an ASL instructor and associate academic instructor at Northeastern University, it’s a landmark moment in the world of TV. Increasing the visibility of deaf people, both in front of the camera and as interpreters, is invaluable for a community that has not always had on-screen role models.
