The Last Of Us Season 2 Casts Kaitlyn Dever As Vengeful Abby
"The Last of Us" Season 2 has cast a major player. Kaitlyn Dever ("Booksmart," "Dopesick") will play Abby, one of the central characters featured in the critically and commercially beloved video game sequel, "The Last of Us Part II."
Max shared the news of Dever's casting on X, formerly known as Twitter. The announcement comes just a few days after "The Last of Us" made headlines and took home eight awards at the Creative Arts Emmys (the series is also nominated in several more categories at the Primetime Emmys, airing January 15). Afterward, Variety ran a statement from the show's co-creators, Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann, where they expressed excitement over Dever's addition.
"Our casting process for [Season 2] has been identical to season one: we look for world-class actors who embody the souls of the characters in the source material," they told the outlet. "Nothing matters more than talent, and we're thrilled to have an acclaimed performer like Kaitlyn join Pedro [Pascal], Bella [Ramsey] and the rest of our family."
Who is Abby in The Last of Us, and why is she so important?
So, who exactly is Abby in "The Last of Us Part II," and why is she so important to the narrative? Things might shift in adaptation as they did during the 1st season; Murray Bartlett and Nick Offerman's episode "Long, Long Time," which centers on side characters Frank and Bill, is a notable departure from the game. In any case, Abby is what could be called the "deuteragonist" in "The Last of Us Part II," meaning that she's the second most significant character behind Ellie (Bella Ramsey), the protagonist.
What Abby does during "The Last of Us Part II" is an enormous spoiler, so it's best to keep that a secret from anyone who hasn't played the game. Without getting into direct specifics, she is a member of the Washington Liberation Front and the daughter of Jerry Anderson, a Firefly killed by Joel Miller (Pedro Pascal). Abby also has to deal with her erstwhile ex-boyfriend, Owen (who hasn't been cast as of this writing), and navigate the apocalyptic world in which all of these characters reside ... until, after a series of torturous misadventures, she crosses paths with Ellie. During "The Last of Us Part II," Ellie and Abby are the two main playable characters as the story shifts between them.
Where have you seen Kaitlyn Dever before?
Over the past several years, Kaitlyn Dever has become one of Hollywood's most in-demand young performers. After getting her start in the popular FX series "Justified" and Tim Allen's comedy "Last Man Standing," she appeared in shows like "Party Down," "Modern Family," "Curb Your Enthusiasm," and "Private Practice" before showing up in indie flicks such as "The Spectacular Now" and "Short Term 12."
Dever is probably most recognizable for her starring turn in Olivia Wilde's 2019 directorial debut, "Booksmart," where she and Beanie Feldstein play overachieving high school students who realize they never took any time to have fun before graduation. She followed the acclaimed comedy with much darker fare, leading the Netflix miniseries "Unbelievable" alongside Toni Collette and Merritt Wever that same year. In 2020, Dever played a key supporting role in the film adaptation of the Tony Award-winning musical "Dear Evan Hansen." Her role in the 2021 Hulu drama "Dopesick" scored her an Emmy nomination, and in 2023, she led a nearly silent Hulu film entitled "No One Will Save You," which relies on the actress' beautifully expressive face rather than dialogue.
Dever is a perfect pick to play Abby ... although she'll have to undergo a pretty intense physical transformation. If you need to brush up before Season 2, Season 1 of "The Last of Us" is streaming on Max now.