Murray Bartlett Revealed His Partner Was "Really Affected" By Seeing Him Aged Up In "The Last Of Us"

    Bill and Frank's story in The Last of Us made everyone cry, but it had a deep effect on Murray Bartlett's real-life partner.

    There are obviously massive spoilers ahead for The Last of Us Episode 3. This post also contains mentions of suicide.

    I'm sure by now you've seen that everyone is simply obsessed (and emotional) over The Last of Us. Namely, the most recent episode — titled "Long, Long Time" — starring Nick Offerman and Murray Bartlett.

    Bill sitting at the piano and Frank standing next to with his hand on Bill's shoulder

    This episode followed Bill (Offerman) and Frank's (Bartlett) beautiful love story as it played out over the course of several years. They survived the end of the world by finding each other, and it was incredible, touching, and heartbreaking.

    Bill holding Frank and saying to him, "I was never afraid before you showed up"

    While Bill and Frank are both characters in The Last of Us video games, this episode expanded their story and marked one of the first big story changes for the TV adaptation so far.

    While the whole episode has several moments that made everyone cry — I legit can't listen to Linda Ronstadt's "Long, Long Time" without bursting into tears now — it was the final scenes between Bill and Frank that really struck a chord with viewers.

    As the episode comes to a close, Frank decides to die by suicide as his heath deteriorates, so he and Bill spend one last perfect day together, which includes getting married.

    Bill putting a ring on Frank's finger

    Then, during their final meal together — which is a callback to the first dinner they shared — Bill reveals he's ready to die too because he's lived a good life and can't imagine a world without Frank.

    Bill telling Frank, "I'm old. I'm satisfied. And you were my purpose"

    While literally the entire world was crying over Bill and Frank, apparently Murray's real-life partner had his own emotional reaction.

    Murray Bartlett smiles as he sits onstage during a late-night TV show interview

    During a roundtable interview with the Independent, Murray discussed how his partner was taken aback when it flashed to Bill and Frank much older.

    Murray smiles widely as he poses for photographers on the Emmys red carpet. Murray is wearing a tuxedo

    "I will say, my partner, who I watched the episode with, was really affected by it," Murray began. "He turned to me at the end and was like, 'I don’t want you to get sick.'"

    An older Bill and Frank holding hands

    Murray continued, saying, "He really internalized it and obviously had trouble separating with the fact that he was watching me in a TV show, which I think is a good sign."

    An older Frank painting on the porch of his home

    "Not a good sign about me possibly getting sick as an old man [laughs] but the integrity of the work was powerful for him."

    Murray has kept his personal life pretty private, but during his 2022 Emmy Award acceptance speech for Best Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for his work in The White Lotus, he thanked his partner Matt.

    In the same interview with the Independent, Murray and Nick gave a shoutout to the incredible hair and makeup department on The Last of Us, who helped elevate their awardworthy performances.

    "Man, they just did such an extraordinary job," Murray said. And Nick added, "[These artists are] pouring over us with brush and glue and paint and powder and sawdust and spit and bubblegum for hours creating these masterpieces. And, if they've done their jobs correctly, you don't see it, it's invisible. ... I wish that they were more celebrated because they make us look incredible and nobody ever knows all of that work that goes into it."

    Alongside Murray's partner's reaction to this The Last of Us episode, Nick revealed in an interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live! that his "incredible goddess of a wife" Megan Mullally was also struck by how amazing the story was and convinced him to take the job in the first place.

    Megan hugging Nick as they have their photograph taken at an event

    I'm obsessed that this episode of The Last of Us not only meant so much to all of the fans, but Murray, Nick, and their partners.

    What did you think of The Last of Us Episode 3? Tell us in the comments below!