‘The Last Of Us’: Kaitlyn Dever Cast As Abby In Season 2 Of HBO Series
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Kaitlyn Dever (Dopesick) has joined HBO’s breakout hit The Last of Us. She is one three major cast additions for the upcoming second season of the post-apocalyptic drama, based on the video game of the same name developed by Naughty Dog for PlayStation. Dever will play the most prominent new Season 2 character, Abby, joining series’ stars Pedro Pascal, who plays Joel, and Bella Ramsey, who is Ellie.
When it was revealed that The Last of Us‘ second season will be based on the 2020 The Last of Us Part II, fans’ attention immediately focused on Abby, one of the game’s two playable central characters alongside Ellie.
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Dever’s name emerged as the frontrunner for the role soon after the end of the SAG-AFTRA strike in November. She eventually closed a deal with HBO, which is co-producing the series with Sony Pictures Television.
Dever’s Abby is a skilled soldier whose black-and-white view of the world is challenged as she seeks vengeance for those she loved. In the game, the character was portrayed by Laura Bailey.
“Our casting process for season two has been identical to season one: we look for world-class actors who embody the souls of the characters in the source material,” said Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann, The Last of Us‘ co-creators, writers, executive producers and directors. “Nothing matters more than talent, and we’re thrilled to have an acclaimed performer like Kaitlyn join Pedro, Bella and the rest of our family.”
The Last of Us’ story takes place twenty years after modern civilization has been destroyed. Joel (Pascal), a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie (Ramsey), a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone. What starts as a small job soon becomes a brutal, heartbreaking journey, as they both must traverse the U.S. and depend on each other for survival.
The cast of Season 1, which was shot in Calgary, Alberta, also included Gabriel Luna as Tommy, Anna Torv as Tess, Nico Parker as Sarah, Murray Bartlett as Frank, Nick Offerman as Bill, Melanie Lynskey as Kathleen, Storm Reid as Riley, Merle Dandridge as Marlene, Jeffrey Pierce as Perry, Lamar Johnson as Henry, Keivonn Woodard as Sam, Graham Greene as Marlon, Elaine Miles as Florence, Ashley Johnson as Anna, and Troy Baker as James.
As Deadline revealed in March, Season 2 will be filmed in Vancouver as a significant part of the story in The Last of Us Part II video game is set in the Pacific Northwest. Production is slated to begin in February.
The Last of Us is written and executive produced by Mazin and Druckmann. Carolyn Strauss, Evan Wells, Asad Qizilbash, Carter Swan, and Rose Lam also executive produce.
Coming off the Creative Arts portion of the 2023 Emmy Awards, The Last of Us topped the list of winners with eight trophies, including Guest Actor In a Drama Series awards for Offerman and Reid.
Dever is known for her roles in the sitcom Last Man Standing, the film Booksmart as well as the limited series Unbelievable, which earned her a Critics Choice and Golden Globe nominations, and Dopesick, which landed her an Emmy, Critics Choice and Globe nominations. She is repped by UTA and Felker Toczek Suddleson Abramson McGinnis Ryan.
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