HBO’s The Last of Us has finally unveiled its Abby and it’s Kaitlyn Dever, the actress known for her roles in Booksmart, No One Will Save You, and that other naughty dog game you may have heard of, Uncharted 4.
“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,” series co-creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckman told Variety. “Nothing is more important than talent, and we are thrilled to have an artist as acclaimed as Kaitlyn join Pedro, Bella and the rest of our family.”
The second season of The Last of Us is expected to follow the events of The Last of Us 2, set five years after The Last of Us and starring Abby in the lead role – sorry, no spoilers. How closely it will follow the specific story beats of The Last of Us 2 remains to be seen, however: the first season’s narrative sometimes deviates from the story told in the game, perhaps most notably in examining the relationship between supporting characters Bill and Frank (for whom actor Nick Offerman Won an Emmy Award, by the way). Mazin said in March 2023 that the second season would follow a similar course.
“Sometimes it will be radically different, and sometimes it will be (barely) different at all,” Mazin said at the time. “But it will be different and it will be its own thing. It won’t be like a game at all. It will be the show that Neil and I want to make.”
HBO described Abby as “a skilled soldier whose black-and-white view of the world is challenged as she seeks revenge for those she once loved,” an apt, if somewhat understated, line. But among fans of The Last of Us, the character is divisive. Many, as seen in this Reddit thread , praise her as complex, flawed, and ultimately very human, but a small, vocal handful take issue with her physical appearance and demeanor—she’s too buff, muscular, techy. -is a no-shit woman- as well as her actions in the game. Again, no spoilers, but suffice to say she hasn’t endeared herself to everyone by the time it’s over.
Reaction to Dever’s casting on social media has been largely positive, but some followers have also expressed hope that she won’t face too much toxic backlash for taking on the role, and that HBO and Naughty Dog will stand by her if she does. It’s a sad reality for female actors: Kelly Marie Tran, for instance, famously faced a barrage of abuse for her portrayal of Rose Tico in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, and recently The Last of You star Bella Ramsay told GQ that she was Ellie’s. After being cast in the role, she was subjected to widespread online abuse and scorn.
Despite that risk, The Last of Us has the potential to be a major role for Dever. The series has been both critically acclaimed—it recently won eight Emmy Awards, including Offerman, from 24 nominations—and a mainstream hit. With producers and showrunners buoyed by that success, season two could prove to be an even bigger breakout. It’ll be a while before we know: The Last of Us Season 2 isn’t expected until sometime in 2025.