In Orphan, Isabelle Fuhrman played a small, seemingly innocent child who turned out to be an evil older woman – with a preposterous ageing disease – that forced her to have the outward appearance of someone younger. Although it was comically sinister in the context of that film, Fuhrman could easily transfer at least a few of these traits across to The Last Of Us if she were cast as Ellie.

Fuhrman would have no trouble portraying the much more ruthless aspects of Ellie’s character. Any time that it is necessary for her to kill, Fuhrman would excel. She was absolutely terrifying in Orphan, elevating the plot of a film – with an unintentionally laughable twist – into something actually quite chilling and nightmare-inducing.

She could realistically portray Ellie’s seemingly innocent, childlike exterior, and – although Ellie obviously isn’t a purely evil sociopath like Fuhrman’s character in Orphan was – she does seem from time to time as though she’s concealing much more than she’s letting on. Additionally, Fuhrman showed that she could realistically depict a will to survive and a fighting spirit in The Hunger Games, which – despite some villainous intentions – proves her experience in those much more action-centric realms as well.

Best known as Don Draper’s stone-faced daughter Sally from Mad Men, over the course of seven years Shipka has become a compelling actress in front of our very eyes. Above all else, she tends to posses wisdom beyond her years, which isn’t just exclusive to the show itself, but ventures into her interviews and real-life personality. Not only is she superbly convincing when distant, deep in thought and astute (all qualities which Ellie’s possesses in one way or another), but can portray the kind of raw, realistic humour that gives The Last Of Us some light amongst the rubble.

Throughout Mad Men, she keeps the viewers’ attention with minimal dialogue, often when curious about something, or ambling around discovering things. Ellie would need these kinds of traits in the film to offset her naivety – which Shipka has shown she can do in earlier seasons of Mad Men – in the presence of such an imposing force as Joel.

But the biggest benefit of casting Shipka would be her age. She’s 14 in real life, exactly the same as Ellie’s character. In this sense, it’s possible that she wouldn’t even have to act that much. She is in Mad Men (and reality for that matter) – like Ellie in the game – a clever, young girl, that’s had to grow up very quickly.

As one of only two actresses on this list that’ve been nominated for an esteemed Academy Award, Hailee Steinfeld would lend The Last Of Us a certain air of acclaim and taste that no others could. Her grisly yet heartfelt performance in True Grit, proved an uncanny ability to portray a teenager, who acts as though she’s already passed through the trials and tribulations of puberty. She was plausible as an independent force, taking care of her own problems and carefully seeking out her own allies. However – such is the nature of an Oscar nomination-worthy performance – there was more at play. She also proved her talents when fragile and vulnerable.

It’s this division between strength and weakness that would help her best be suited to the part. More than anyone else on this list, she could authentically convince the viewer that she – like Ellie – can’t swim and needs Joel’s help. But also counteractively, she would take just as strongly to moments when helping Joel out. It is this kind of acting style that would benefit the narrative’s intricacies. She’s the sort of actress you can imagine wandering across the landscape of The Last Of Us, giving light to all the mini-stories of the world long gone with complex, multi-faceted facial expressions.

Hailee Steinfeld hasn’t just experienced a non-sexualised lead female role such as Ellie, but she’s succeeded at it. If the creators were casting with those criteria, she would undoubtedly be their best bet.

Moments after first appearing on screen in last years meathead action flick ‘Homefront’, the seemingly harmless Izabela Vidovic delivers a devastating knee to the pug nose of an irritating overweight bully, promptly displaying a large chunk of the reserved badassery needed to inhabit the character of Ellie. In fact, Vidovic in ‘Homefront’ seems a bit like a slightly younger Ellie, as if she was brought up in a world with some structure, as opposed to one in ruins.

Her father/daughter on-screen chemistry with Jason Statham is proof she could work competently with a middle–aged mercenary father figure such as Joel. The sentimental dialogue between the two – although one-dimensional as a product of Sylvester Stallone’s cheesy script – sometimes provides a similar dynamic as in the limelight of The Last Of Us. Furthermore, ‘Homefront’ proved Vidovic’s aesthetic believability as an ordinary girl. She looks at home in a simple t-shirt and jeans, independent from the glitter and polish of Hollywood; a quality which is intrinsic to the empathetic nature of Ellie’s persona.

Working to Vidovic’s advantage is her casting in the pilot of the TV adaptation of Zombieland, which – despite not being picked up for a full series – gave her some experience in a place overrun by brainless mutants. Plus, by the looks of things, she can ride a horse, which – as anyone who’s played the game will know – is integral to quite a few plot points.

Should Vidovic be casted, her shining moments would arrive in instances of impending danger. In peril, when a regular 14 year old might burst into tears, Ellie tends to stand her ground. There’s no doubt, in these performances, that Vidovic would demonstrate her strengths best.

The most suitable choice for Ellie’s part would also be arguably the most well known one on this list. Chloe Grace Moretz is one of those rare actresses with a transcendent charisma that allows her to skate across varying film parts without differing too much in performance. Luckily, the role of Ellie would suit this performance down to the ground. She genuinely has every tool needed to play the part.

Kick Ass showed that she could exhibit just the right amount of aggression, courage and ferocity to defeat anyone who got in her way. But it also proved she can execute the kind of bare bones, quirky humour that makes Ellie so endearing, as with Hit Girl her utterance of the C word became permanently rooted in pop culture. Although it’s just a minute detail, she would be the only actress on this list that could swear in a similar manner – as Ellie often does – and not seem fake or awkward. Let’s face it; overall, she just gives the impression of being a likeable person in general. She has that ‘IT’ factor.

In Kick Ass, she was one half of a partnership with her father – played by Nicolas Cage – who guided her through the life of a superhero, teaching her skills as the story progressed, eventually to the extent that she could fend for herself. This idea is mirrored in The Last Of Us, as Joel guides Ellie through the desolate, ruined cities of a world that was once hustling and bustling with life, teaching her about ice cream trucks, record stores and arcade games. Thus, Moretz has succeeded acting as one half of a two-pronged attack force with an older guy; a skill that she could carry over to The Last Of Us if she were to get the role.

In Hick – despite an aimless plot that didn’t really go anywhere – she showed that she could hold her own in scenes where she genuinely acts like a regular teenager. There are moments – although brief – in The Last Of Us where Ellie is talking to herself and travelling around places in her own world. The majority of Hick proved that Moretz could competently do this, relying on the imagination and charisma of her accessible acting style to get by.

So all in all, she can do action, she can do comedy, she can do emotion, she’s charismatic, she’s played strong parts, she’s played vulnerable parts and she even looks about the right age. She’s perfect to play Ellie. Without a doubt, if she were casted, it’d be her crowning achievement thus far.