Warning: This article contains spoilers The Last of Us Part 2 Game
The news is out: we finally have our live-action Abby Anderson. BookSmart’s Caitlin Dever will be busy practicing her golf swing as she lands the role for The Last of Us Season 2 — and boy has the lecture started.
To the delight of those familiar with Dever’s filmography, reactions ranged from outrage at her physical differences to a playful character—and to be honest, such a response was inevitable. Abby, who is a playable co-protagonist in The Last of Us Part 2 game, is a huge part of the story going forward.
In fact, she’s such a big deal that interest in her casting began as soon as the adaptation was announced. A former member of the Fireflies, we first meet him on a hellish mission of revenge. Given that her targets are some of the most beloved characters in this story, some always thought big on who played her.
But with all adaptations, there’s a lot to decide until we actually see her on screen, I can’t help but think showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckman’s casting choice is a masterstroke – and it’s all based on Dever’s past projects.
Morally gray
By far the most fascinating thing about Dever’s work is how endlessly beloved she is on screen. Whether it’s her charming performance in Booksmart, her turn as the romantic lead in Rosaline, or her heartwarming role in Netflix’s Unbelievable, she embodies every character you have. This is exactly the approach required to bring about deep, deeply Abby’s complex role on screen.
Talk to anyone who played The Last of Us Part 2 and they’ll have a strong opinion on Abby. Introduced from the beginning in the second game, you are put in her shoes as she goes on her mission of revenge. It is not immediately clear what is driving this and what its purpose is, but its path is drawn to Joel, taking players on a real rollercoaster of emotions.
If you’re like me, you’ll start in a place of hate. Abby is responsible for killing my favorite character: Joel. The gruff, fatherly, cruel Joel, who I lived for hours and hours, is brutally murdered at the hands of Abby – the hands of Abby that I just had to play in… It’s a horrible turn from the creators of the game, but at the same time as you Incredible returns as you dive deeper into Part 2.
From there, as her story intertwines with Ellie’s, it moves me from disgust to sympathy for her motivations, as it builds to its tense conclusion. It’s amazing how the story unravels his past and in the end, you realize there are no villains here, only complex human emotions and deeply painful choices.
Unconventional choices
To embody all of that, you need an actor with the presence to carry them at all times. To me, that’s what Dever is. Before her casting, any moment she was mentioned in a sentence with the project always brought the same response from me: ‘Oh I love her!’ (Often with a sermon on why everyone needs to see BookSmart). I’ve seen countless films that she’s in, knowing her comedic timing, openness and charm will keep me invested.
Bringing Deaver into The Last of Us is a stroke of genius. Abby is arguably one of the most hated parts of the opening section of the second story, but can you imagine hating one of Dever’s characters? This is not to say that she is not capable of adaptability and versatility as an actress – just watch No One Saves You to put that notion to rest. It actually says the opposite: Dever always finds humanity in his roles.
Abby will not be at risk of becoming a one-dimensional evil character in The Last of Us Season 2, as she was not in the game. You’ll be forced to understand her motivations, whether you think they’re misguided or not, and confront your own prejudices about who should or shouldn’t be allowed to live.
So look, I get it: He’s not a muscular actor you can cast. And while I understand the argument that female characters like this are few and far between on screen, it’s time to look beyond the physical. Characterization on that level is skin deep, and I’m sure the producers have plenty of plans to make her faithful to the version many are familiar with.
If nothing else, have some faith in Mazin and Druckmann’s vision. His approach to The Last of Us so far has been nothing short of amazing, and given how perfectly cast Bela Ramsay and Pedro Pascal are, the next phase of this story is in very good hands.
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