Summary
HBO’sThe Last of Usseason 2 has one big element it has to nail, and it looks like the folks in charge have officially found the actress to make it happen. That’s right, the beloved series may have finally found its Abby.
Abby, effectively the deuteragonist of the massive hit Naughty Dog video gameThe Last of Us Part II, will play a similarly important role in the second season of HBO’s adaptation. Many have been wonderinghow the TV version ofThe Last of Us Part II’s story will be structured, given how the game had players switching between the perspectives of returning character Ellie and newcomer Abby. But while that remains a question for another day, a more important one seems to have been answered. One actress is reportedly in talks to play the character inThe Last of Usseason 2, and she’s got the range.
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Entertainment journalistJeff Sneiderreported that Kaitlyn Dever is the top contender to play Abby in HBO’sThe Last of Usseason 2. While this claim has yet to be verified by official sources, Sneider does have a proven track record for this sort of thing. Plus, it also helps that Dever was originally in the running to play Ellie, so showrunner Craig Mazin andThe Last of Uscreator Neil Druckmann could be keeping things in the family, as it were. Eagle-eared fans will also note that Dever voiced Cassie Drake in theending epilogue of Naughty Dog’sUncharted 4, also directed by Druckmann. However, some fans are already a bit confused about the casting.
Those who have playedThe Last of UsPart IIwill remember that Abby spent the game as an antagonist to Ellie, who herself had taken on the player role after only being playable for a short time in the originalThe Last of Us. While the two characters are opposed,Abby and Ellie are two sides of the same coin. Dever has proven range from her past and current projects, but there’s also a physical aspect. Abby spent a good chunk of her time inThe Last of Us Part IIpumping iron to aid in her personal revenge mission over events from the first game. But fans have been pointing out that Dever is noticeably smaller in stature. So it will be interesting to see how things play out.
Of course, it’s unfair to judge based on appearance, and that goes doubly for someone like Dever, who boasts a genuinely impressive resume. Many will recognize her as Loretta from a particularly intense and widely-praised season of FX’sJustified. But more recently, she starred in Olivia Wilde’sBooksmartand the Hulu miniseriesDopesick. Her dramatic range had people clamoring to see herplay Ellie inThe Last of Usas far back as 2020, and it seems that with Bella Ramsey taking that role, this is easily the next best possibility.
Reportedly, Dever’s performance in therecently-released Hulu filmNo One Will Save Youput her on the radar forThe Last of Us. But any of her previous parts could have easily been the catalyst. Some may see this as a vindication of their unfounded criticisms of Abby’s muscular appearance in the game. But one thing’s certain: Dever has the chops for it.
The Last of Usseason 2 is set to begin production in early 2024. Season 1 is available to stream on Max.
The Last Of Us
Based on Naughty Dog’s popular PlayStation game, HBO’s The Last of Us takes place decades after a fungal infection eradicated most of humanity. When a teenage girl named Ellie is found to be immune to the disease, Joel agrees to smuggle her across the United States.
