Kaitlyn Dever on Abby Role: 'Hard to Ignore Internet Buzz'

Actress Kaitlyn Dever, set to portray Abby in HBO's *The Last of Us* Season 2, has opened up about the challenges of ignoring online reactions to her character. Abby, a pivotal figure from the video game, has been at the center of significant online controversy due to her actions in the story. This backlash has extended beyond the game, with some fans harassing Naughty Dog employees, including co-president Neil Druckmann and actress Laura Bailey, who voiced Abby in the game. The harassment included severe threats and abuse directed at Bailey, her parents, and her young son.

The intensity of the reaction was so notable that HBO took extra precautions during the filming of Season 2, providing Dever with additional security. This move underscores the real-world impact of online vitriol. Isabel Merced, who plays Dina in the series, commented on the situation, saying, "There's so many strange people in this world because there are people that actually genuinely hate Abby, who is not a real person. Just a reminder: not a real person."

The Last of Us Season 2 Character Posters

3 Images

In an interview with ScreenRant, Dever addressed her awareness of the anticipation and criticism surrounding Abby's portrayal. "Well, it's hard not to see those things on the internet," she admitted. "It's hard not to stop myself from looking at it every once in a while, especially going into this, for sure. And I want to do this character justice and make the fans proud by bringing her to life in this kind of way. But my main focus was just the collaboration between Neil and Craig [Mazin], and making sure I was really getting to the core of who she is and what drives her and her emotional state; her anger and her frustration and her grief and all of that. I wanted to make sure that that was what I was focusing most of my energy on."

The Last of Us Season 2 Cast: Who's New and Coming Back to the HBO Show?

11 Images

Last month, Neil Druckmann shed light on how Abby's character would be adapted for the HBO series. He explained to *Entertainment Weekly* that Abby's physicality in the show would differ from the game because the narrative priorities have shifted. "We would've struggled to find someone as good as Kaitlyn to play this role," Druckmann stated. "In the game, you have to play both [Ellie and Abby] and we need them to play differently. We needed Ellie to feel smaller and kind of maneuver around, and Abby was meant to play more like Joel in that she's almost like a brute in the way she can physically manhandle certain things. That doesn't play as big of a role in this version of the story because there's not as much violent action moment to moment. It's more about the drama. I'm not saying there's no action here. It's just, again, different priorities and how you approach it."

Co-showrunner Craig Mazin added his perspective, emphasizing the emotional depth they aim to explore with Abby. "I personally think there is an amazing opportunity here to delve into someone who is perhaps physically more vulnerable than the Abby in the game, but whose spirit is stronger. And then the question is: 'Where does her formidable nature come from and how does it manifest?' That's something that will be explored now and later."

Mazin's reference to "now and later" hints at HBO's plan to extend *The Last of Us Part 2* across multiple seasons. Unlike Season 1, which covered the entire first game in one season, Season 2 will focus on just part of the second game's narrative, with a "natural breakpoint" after seven episodes. This approach allows for a deeper exploration of the characters and their stories, setting the stage for potential future seasons.