Of HBO The Last of Us Officially Isabella Merced (Dora and the Lost City of Gold, Transformers: The Last Knight) as Ellie’s love interest, Deanna, in season 2 of the award-winning series.
With the role of Dina described, Prat Diversity, “a free-wheeling spirit whose devotion to Ellie will be tested by the brutality of the world they inhabit,” Merced looks set to provide an interesting and – if they follow the game – comedic foil to Bella Ramsey’s Ellie. Their relationship serves as a beautiful and complex touchstone for Alley Inn The Last of Us Part II – Giving her something tangible to hold on to as she navigates difficult circumstances and emotional upheaval.
Series co-creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckman said, “Dina is warm, bright, wild, funny, moral, dangerous and instantly lovable… You can’t forever find an actor who embodies all of these things effortlessly, or You can find Isabella Merced. Immediately. “We couldn’t be prouder to add her to our family.”
Best known for her starring roles in live-action Dora the Explorer film Dora and the Lost City of GoldMerced is a rising star in Hollywood, with upcoming credits including: Madam Webb, Superman: Legacy And Alien: Romulus.
In the news this week comes a trifecta of casting announcements, with Caitlin Dever confirmed to star in the role of Abbie Anderson and Netflix. BeefYoung Mazzino plays Jesse.
Read: HBO’s The Last of Us stars Caitlin Dever as Abby
Merced’s casting puts a question mark on the fan theory that Deanna already briefly appeared in episode 6 of season 1, but it doesn’t completely rule it out. Eagle-eyed fans noted that one of the characters – credited as ‘The Starring Girl’ and portrayed by actress Paulina Van Cleef – bears a strong resemblance to Deanna, in a scene where Ellie sees a girl staring at her and Joel at dinner. .
This theory was loosely touched upon in the official The Last of Us podcast, but Mazin and Druckman stopped short of confirming it, instead hinting at a vague potential Easter egg. Merced’s appointment doesn’t completely rule out the theory – plenty of characters have been played by multiple actors – but it’ll likely be a while before we find out for sure.
The Last of Us: Season 2 Filming is expected to begin in February 2024, scheduled for release on HBO (and on Binge in Australia). 2025. Stay tuned for more news on the upcoming season.
