In this case, the mountain of rumors were true. HBO has found its Abby, who should prove to be the co-lead for at least the next season or two of The Last of Us on HBO, as the plan is to split the second game in half.
That actress is Kaitlyn Dever, who has been rumored for some weeks now, and will take on the hugely controversial role where she will unfortunately have to steel herself on a contingent of gamers who have never stopped complaining about Abby since the game released.
Dever broke out into the mainstream in Booksmart, but has gone on to star in movies like No One Will Save You and series like Unbelievable and Dopesick where she’s displayed exceptional acting chops. She is also no stranger to Naughty Dog, which is what lent a lot of weight to these rumors. She played Cassie in Uncharted 4 (which caused some rumbling that maybe she’d even star in a new game), and she actually read for the part of Ellie for The Last of Us series in the first place.
Dever was a common rumored choice for Ellie initially purely just for the fact that she looks a good amount like the game character, but the show went with Bella Ramsey instead. However, you can now simultaneously imagine her as Abby given her complexion and given her acting, I have no doubt she can channel the game role well.
The question is whether Dever, at 5’2” and no bodybuilder, will be required to bulk up to become something approximating the size of Abby, where physicality was a huge part of her character in the game. That remains unclear, but we’ve seen Bella Ramsey training to become a more muscled version of Ellie for season 2, so I would place some bets on some sort of regimen for Dever. Though true Abby size? I’d be amazed.
The Last of Us season 2 is set to start filming shortly for a delayed release in 2025, so it’s no wonder that the cast announcement was finally made. Rumor had it she was cast even before the strike, but they were waiting until it ended, and possibly the new year, until it was announced.
Dever will secure her role for at least two seasons, as co-showrunner Craig Mazin has been very clear about splitting the second game into two, given its size. Without getting into spoilers, Abby is a playable character for much of the second game, which means Dever is going to have a hugely prominent role.
There has been an unfortunate amount of hatred around Abby as a character from certain irritating segments of the gaming community, sometimes about her appearance, sometimes about certain actions she takes in the game. One action…in particular. You’ll see. I expect a resurgence of that now, sadly.
Regardless, I think Dever is a great pick for Abby and I can’t wait to see what she does in the role. I’d expect more season 2 casting announcements soon.
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