Summary
Just as fans were excited to hearThe Last of Uscasting news, the dual strike stopped that in its tracks.
After beautifully adapting Naughty Dog’s 2013 game,The Last of UsPart I, fans wanted to know when they would hear anything about the imminent second season, especially casting news forthe memorable villain Abby(Laura Bailey). After she killed Joel (Troy Baker) in revenge for her father’s death, the game switched perspectives so players could play as her. Abby received offensive backlash because she did not adhere to Hollywood beauty standards.
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But regardless, she will appear inThe Last of Usseason 2, even if finding the actor has been met with obstacles. “The strike stopped us in our tracks,” showrunner Craig Mazin confessed toThe Hollywood Reporter. “Things were in process. Look, Abby was the first role that we wanted to tackle. We’ve got a pretty good track record of making major cast announcements and people going, ‘Really?’ which will probably continue. So people may disagree, but I think we got it right so far and the audience seems to feel we got it right and the Academy seems to feel we got it right.”
Mazin and the creative director of the games, Neil Druckmann, are no strangers to criticism. Druckmann is famously unapologetic about killing off Joel and the character of Abby.The Last of Usstory has always been about the cycle of violence. Joel kills a seemingly insignificant doctor to save Ellie’s life. This doctor turns out to be Abby’s father, and she kills Joel to avenge him. The cycle is vicious until it goes around and around until nothing’s left.Joel’s fate inThe Last of Us Part 2was just another component of the story and one that will be revisited in the series.
The disturbing reaction against Abby and death threats against the voice actor are complex issues that Mazin and Druckmann are prepared to fight against. If season 1 is any indication, the creatives behind the HBO show are intent on telling emotionally moving, if brutal, stories no matter the cost. Though Bill’s (Nick Offerman) and Frank’s (Murray Bartlett) story changed from the games, the bones of their dynamic remained.The Last of Usseries altered the story for the betterand is sure to do the same thing for season 2.
Abby’s casting is vital because she is a primary antagonist. She is as important as Ellie (Ashley Johnson), whether The Last of Us video game critics want to admit it or not. Throughouther relationship with Ellie, the two come to terms with how toxic violence is, and moving past it is the only way to survive. There is no show without Abby; She deserves to be as nuanced and complex as she is in the games. Fans may have to wait until the strike resolves, but it will be a character worth waiting for.
The Last of Usseason 1 is streaming on Max.
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