Kaitlyn Dever, who stars in The Last of Us Season 2, shares her perspective on the controversy surrounding her character, Abby. During a conversation with Screen Rant at the 2025 SXSW Festival, she discussed the backlash that the game The Last of Us Part II faced when it was released in June 2020. Aware that gamers had strong reactions to her character, Dever emphasized that she concentrated on collaborating closely with showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann to deliver a powerful performance.
Warning: Spoilers for The Last of Us Part II follow
In simpler terms, Dever explained, “It’s tough not to notice those online things. I can’t help but peek occasionally, especially given the circumstances. However, I aim to portray this character faithfully and make the fans proud. The primary focus was the collaboration between Neil and Craig, delving deeply into her personality, her motivations, and her emotional landscape – her anger, frustration, grief, and more. I wanted to ensure that this was where I directed most of my efforts.
Initially, in “The Last of Us Part II,” it’s Abby who ends up killing Joel Miller. It’s revealed later in the game that Abby is the daughter of one of the Firefly doctors Joel had killed at the end of “The Last of Us,” when he was saving Ellie. This sets her on a path for revenge. The game received high praise (even winning Game of the Year at the 2020 Game Awards), but it also attracted significant criticism, particularly regarding its narrative. Many players were taken aback by Joel’s unexpected demise, and there was also disagreement about the fact that Abby becomes the playable character in the second half of the game, requiring gamers to understand her actions as she embarks on her own journey.
In the course of filming The Last of Us Season 2, Isabelle Merced (playing Dina) mentioned that Dever required additional protection due to some individuals expressing genuine dislike towards Abby’s character. However, Dever subsequently clarified that this statement was not accurate.
In the upcoming season 2 of “The Last of Us,” there may be some alterations from the original storyline, such as the casting of Joe Pantoliano instead of Eugene. However, one element that won’t be changed is Joel’s death, a pivotal moment that fans will undoubtedly react strongly to due to their attachment to Joel and Ellie’s relationship. Let’s hope that Bella Ramsey (who plays Abby in the series) doesn’t face any backlash like Laura Bailey did, as it’s one thing for fans to dislike a character because of their actions, but quite another for that dislike to turn into personal attacks. Bella is focusing on what she can control: her performance. It will be intriguing to see how she portrays Abby while still honoring the original character.
In the transition from game to show, while the main storylines featuring character Abby remain consistent, there will be variations. Dever’s portrayal of Abby won’t possess the muscularity seen in the game version, as the creators decided this change was necessary given the shift to a different medium. In contrast to the game, the show emphasizes character drama over continuous action, which is characteristic of video games. Throughout her acting career, Dever has shown versatility and skill in playing diverse characters, so she’s expected to deliver an engaging performance as the complex character Abby in The Last of Us.
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2025-03-15 00:09