Of HBO The Last of Us Season two finally cast Caitlin Dever as Abby, one of the franchise’s most controversial characters. As with the casting of Bella Ramsay, fans couldn’t help but question the showrunner’s choice of actress for the role.
Dever was actually a fan favorite for the part of Ellie due to her striking resemblance to the video game character. Interestingly, this is not the first time the actress has worked on a Naughty Dog project as she previously voiced Casey Drake. Carefree 4: A Thief’s End.
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The Last of Us Producers on casting Caitlin Dever as Abby
In a joint press statement by The GuardianShow creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckman address the controversial casting of Caitlin Dever for the second season The Last of Us.
“Our casting process for season two is the same as season one: we look for world-class actors who embody the spirit of the characters in the source material. Nothing matters more than talent, and we are thrilled to have an acclaimed performer like Caitlin join Pedro, Bella and the rest of our family.“
In a previous conversation with Entertainment Weekly, Mazin explained his process for hiring actors and commented that he usually does not follow the source material. He also pointed out that the series is his original project, so he will separate himself from the video game.
“Sometimes it will be radically different, and sometimes it will be (rarely) different at all. But it will be different, and it will be its own thing. It won’t exactly be a game. That would be a show that Neil and I would like to make“
For Mazin and Druckmann, the talent and passion of the actors is more important than the physical likeness of the characters they are portraying. However, they will try to make the clothes and their appearance on the show as game-like as possible.
“One of the things about the casting process that is difficult is that we invite people to join us in the process, and we know everything (about the secrets of the production), and nobody knows anything but what they know, which is is a game. We know what we’re going to do in terms of costume and makeup and hair, but more importantly, we also know the spirit and soul of the actor.“
Abby is, indeed, a character that has received both praise and criticism from fans, but more worryingly, she has been the subject of inappropriate comments due to her role in the franchise.
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Caitlin Dever was excited to work with Naughty Dog again
speaking together ColliderKaitlyn Dever admits she’s a huge fan The Last of Us. At the time, she was being touted by fans for the role of Ellie, and having previously worked with Naughty Dog, she was very open to collaborating again.
“I’m obviously looking at the internet, and I’m obviously looking at a lot of (fan casting). Neil Druckman, I worked with him on Uncharted 4. I think he is one of the smartest people I have ever met and one of the sweetest.“
Although Dever did not get the role of Ellie, she is now joining the franchise as Abby. Fans will be assured that she will play the part given her experience working in video game franchises before and her knowledge of the game.