When Merle Dandridge got the role of Marlene, the leader of the rebellious Fireflies, in MAX‘s hit series The Last of Us, it’s safe to say she was thrilled to join the thrilling television series. “I remember when I was auditioning for the game 11 years ago, I remember thinking, ‘I understanding this woman. I understand her grit and integrity through the worst moment of her life.’ I felt it was so timely and beautiful, and to find out that the material is timeless because we’re always going through something. There will be always be circumstances where we deal with love, life and family and embracing or rejecting those things,” the 48-year-old, who is the only character to reprise her role on screen and in The Last of Us video game, exclusively tells GRAZIA USA.

When the scripts were put together, there was this new energy and passion that popped off the page, so the brunette beauty was drawn to the part. “There was this immediate energy of, ‘I found my people, I found my tribe, I found the kind of artists I want to work with, and it was really sweet,'” she recalls of the series, which features Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Tess (Anna Torv) and how they are all the only survivors after a fungal outbreak ravages the planet. “It was almost like holding hands with a long lost pal — and that’s how it felt when we began to work on this. I knew it would be a really beautiful artistic journey for me.”

Since Marlene is such an important character, it surprised the actress how much she kept coming up in conversations over the years. “There were constant reasons for me to keep encountering Marlene. She remained in people’s minds and in their thoughts. Now, to actually play her in the series blows my mind because when you build a character, you have an inherent understanding of where they came from and what they did. When I put on the clothes and walk out to set, it’s extraordinary, but it was right on time. I love this story and these characters, and I wanted to do it justice and really embody her,” she says.

“I wanted to find out who she was and embrace a new experience with a whole new set of artists who breathe fresh fire into this material, and now Marlene is a bit different now, which is a good thing,” she adds, revealing the set and costumes help everyone get into their character. “I had never worn Marlene’s clothes before, so the first time I had a fitting, I sobbed. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing because it was something that existed on the screen. When I picked up her weapons, I was like, ‘Merle, act like you’ve done this before!'”

For Dandridge, there’s no complaints when it comes to being part of the hit series. “The people, the artistry, the love, the passionate fans,” she gushes. “I can’t say enough good things about it! Some of the challenges were the weather and fighting a global pandemic, but it was outweighed by the fact that we knew we had a beautiful story with such wonderful characters that were going to give us a mirror into our humanity, and that’s all you can ask for as an artist.”

Since the show has received praise from critics and fans alike, Dandridge says it’s “like watching your best friend shine.”

“My favorite thing is when great people win, and these are some great people. Pedro is so gifted, while Bella Ramsey is so caring of everyone and open-hearted,” she says. “That is a once in a lifetime human.”

“I have loved this material and this character and all these characters,” she adds. “When I was shooting, I wanted to be a fly on the wall for everyone. I wanted to watch everything being done. I hung out on stage because it warmed my heart. It’s such a wonderful story by Neil Druckmann. To see these heartbreaking performances that I’ve gotten to be a part of is fantastic. It still surprises me when people recognize me on the street, but this is what you want — you want to be able to provide something that makes people feel seen and provide a human connection. This show does that. The conversations aren’t about loving the show, but it’s also what it unlocked in people’s hearts, and that’s the most wonderful part.”

In the finale, Marlene wasn’t in a good spot, but the star is excited to see what happens with these characters going forward.

Growing up in Nebraska, Dandridge didn’t see people who looked like her. “Finding identity as someone who is Black and Korean was difficult. There wasn’t a lot of me on screens,” she recalls.

A friend of Dandridge then said she should take drama as an easy elective, and she obliged. From there, she got a full ride to college, and “the road created itself” for her to forge her path into the entertainment industry. “I then saw two shows at the International Thespian Festival — Once on This Island and Big River — and with the former, it was the first time I saw an all-Black cast, and I saw what’s possible. To see that being celebrated on screen or on stage was a life-changing event. I didn’t see any place in which I belonged until I saw that.”

Fortunately, Dandridge, who recently starred as Desiree Armfeldt in the 50th anniversary production of Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler’s 1973 classic A Little Night Music at Pasadena Playhouse, made a name for herself in showbiz, and she couldn’t love it more. “That was wonderful,” she says of her recent job.

“It feels so rich to have a wonderful character like Marlene who is so dynamic and conflicted, and to have a character on network television on Station 19, who is specifically Black and Korean is amazing. The space I am in is pretty marvelous, and I feel very, very blessed,” she continues.

From The Last of Us to Station 19 and The Flight Attendant, Dandridge is making a splash, but she still hopes to return to Broadway at some point soon. “To have the ability to go back and forth is wonderful,” she shares. “They feed me in such a beautiful and dynamic way. I’m always eyeing Broadway!”

“At the end of the day, the work and the opportunity to play such wonderful characters that people are connecting with is everything,” she adds. “What’s wonderful is I get to share and experience this all with the fans — in the same way that I do on stage, and I get to take that journey with them, which makes me feel so connected.”

Going forward, Dandridge is looking to play some “strong, passionate, flawed women.”

“I have a lot of things on my list,” she declares. “And to get back to work on Station 19, and then to be back on stage. I’m working on directing and writing my own stuff. I have a book in the works, but right now, I am going to sit on a beach for a second and then get back to work.”

The Last of Us is now streaming on MAX.