Jennifer Aniston may not appear in The Last of Us, but according to the series’ season 2 premiere, she’s one of the few celebrities to survive the apocalypse—at least in magazine form.
In the April 13 episode, Bella Ramsey’s Ellie and Isabela Merced’s Dina patrol a ransacked store, where Ellie falls through the floor into a basement. There, she discovers a weathered 2003 issue of People magazine featuring Aniston on the cover of a “Best & Worst Dressed” edition.
The magazine’s publication date is significant: it aligns with the in-universe onset of the fictional fungal pandemic that causes the collapse of civilization.
Aniston, ever the good sport, reacted to the moment with humor on social media. She reposted the clip to her Instagram story, writing, “Of all the things to survive the apocalypse 🤣,” and tagged the official show account, adding a sly emoji.
HBO
The episode was written and directed by co-showrunner Craig Mazin, who has previously peppered the series with subtle nods to early-2000s pop culture. This small moment offered a brief reprieve from the show’s otherwise tense atmosphere—and gave fans an unexpected Easter egg to enjoy.
Aniston, though not directly connected to the show’s universe, has been in the headlines recently for another Last of Us-related moment. Last month, she was seen leaving the Sunset Tower Hotel in West Hollywood with Pedro Pascal, who stars as Joel in the series. The sighting quickly sparked rumors of a possible relationship.
The magazine cover had people chortling and sparked discussion about the moments before the pandemic in the show, a sentiment unfortunately felt at least in part by people in the real world on the other side of COVID-19.
At first there was some confusion in comments about the magazine's appearance, as the timelines for the film version (where this was seen) and the game differ by a decade.
@Sinful_Rxven/reddit
Commenters had a more visceral realization of when the apocalypse started in the show after that magazine.
@derpsnotdead/reddit
@Hello_There_Exalted1/reddit
The nostalgia hit hard for those who were old enough to remember 2003 in any meaningful way.
@dusty_burners/reddit
Another commenter pointed out one of the true losses of the zombie apocalypse in the show.
@overthinking11093/reddit
Folks were unable to resist noting rumors swirling about Aniston going to dinner with Pedro Pascal.
@queeninthesky/reddit
Aniston's comment had some people musing about the fate of the rich and famous in the game and show.
@heartinvenus/reddit
@jayoshisan/reddit
Folks didn't have high hopes for them, based on the type of apocalypse the characters face in The Last of Us.
@thedoorman121/reddit
Older viewers shared a common sentiment.
@davidbenyusef/reddit
The Last of Us has two new episodes every Sunday night on HBO and Max.
@billieeilish/Instagram
@GovPressOffice/X
@realDonaldTrump/Truth Social