Kaitlyn Dever on Her Destiny-Shaping Role as Abby in 'The Last of Us': "It Was Always Supposed to Be"
With the return of The Last of Us arrives Kaitlyn Dever portraying Abby, a key character in Part II as a soldier driven by revenge, within the video game.
But Dever's history with The Last of Us dates back ten years, as she was first considered to portray Ellie (the main character of the show, portrayed by Bella Ramsey) when plans were underway for a movie based on the game.
I didn’t go through auditions at all. It basically involved meetings I had with [creator] Neil [Druckmann]. I would visit [his video game company] Naughty Dog, and he would show me the process of making the game and also share some spoilers from the game. II Years before it was released, I've had to bear a significant burden, these past 10 years have been tough, as Dever shared. The Hollywood Reporter At the show’s Los Angeles debut on Monday, she shared, “It has always felt like something special that I connected deeply over with my father; we even played the game together. There were several months when I discussed possibly portraying Ellie with Neil, but just like typical filmmaking challenges, that opportunity took a pause.”
She mentioned that once the project changed direction, she was thrilled to witness it transformed into a show. She praised Bella for her outstanding performance, noting how incredibly magical Bella and Pedro were together during the first season; she found herself genuinely being a fan of their work. When the opportunity arose again later in her career with the character of Abby, she felt as though everything had naturally come full circle in a new form, which she thought was pretty exciting.
Druckmann acknowledged that both he and co-showrunner Craig Mazin were "actually quite anxious" about this particular aspect. casting Abby sincetheit'ssuchacriticalpart.
Following his long-standing connection with Dever, he mentioned that "it was suggested she take on the role of Abby," and added, "casting an actor always comes with uncertainty, but we felt pretty positive about her; after seeing her act opposite Bella and Pedro, we realized how fortunate we were—she brought magic back into our project."
Mazin mentioned that when searching for their Abby, they required someone capable of portraying the character as both a protagonist and an antagonist, someone audiences could love yet also be puzzled by—someone they would cheer for and against. The chosen actor must evoke such strong connection from viewers on multiple levels. He noted that Kaitlyn possesses remarkable depth; there’s something compelling about her essence. Mazin often distinguishes between actors he enjoys spending time with versus those whom he wants to embrace tightly, stating that Kaitlyn embodies qualities of both perfectly.
In Season Two, which takes place five years after events of the first season, Ellie and Joel (played by Pedro Pascal) have found refuge within a survivor community located in Jackson, Wyoming. At the beginning of this new season, tensions arise between them, and Joel finds himself attending therapy sessions led by a counselor portrayed by Catherine O'Hara.
Mazin mentioned that during the first season, they initially considered having Joel go to therapy. However, they decided to postpone this idea until the second season instead. He explained his reasoning: "In a post-apocalyptic setting where we have a barter-based economy, I constantly wondered about what items would be valuable and what wouldn’t," adding humorously, “and clearly, a therapist turned out to be incredibly beneficial for everyone who’s still alive.”
Mazin went on to say, "The manner in which Catherine O'Hara’s character interacts with several others within the storyline, as well as a figure mentioned in the games yet unseen until now, is truly impressive. It offers viewers insight into how individuals share their thoughts with their therapists. One might assume these conversations involve complete honesty; however, it becomes intriguing when we consider the aspects they choose not to disclose during therapy sessions."
Druckmann also commented on how long he anticipates the series lasting, with Part II Regarding the game being too extensive to fully adapt within a single second season, expectations include potential for a third or perhaps even a fourth season.
Ideally, we prefer having a clear endpoint in sight; knowing the ultimate destination helps us understand where the narrative concludes and identify key milestones en route. We also identified suitable breakpoints for this season, ultimately deciding on a total of seven episodes as necessary for telling our story effectively," he stated. "Although we have clarity about our endgame, predicting exactly how many seasons or episodes it might span remains uncertain until we reconvene with the writing team. Determining these specifics will be our immediate focus should we proceed further.
The Last of Us The second season debuts on April 13 on HBO and Max.
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