Kaitlyn Dever`s portrayal of Abby in the second season of HBO`s The Last of Us garnered both critical praise and considerable fan attention, leading to one of the show`s 16 Emmy nominations. Dever took on this challenging role during an exceptionally difficult personal period, navigating profound grief while embodying one of the gaming world`s most debated characters.
In a recent conversation with Deadline, Dever shared that her initial connection to Abby was sparked by her father`s admiration for the character, which significantly influenced her performance, later deepened by her own experiences of loss and resilience.
“It was actually my dad`s thoughts and opinions on Abby that were way stronger than mine,” she recalled. Even before being considered for the role, her father had urged her to watch the conclusion of the second game, insisting, “You need to sit down, and you just need to watch this.”
She initially dismissed the suggestion, but not long afterward, she received the call to meet with showrunners Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin. After experiencing Abby`s early gameplay, Dever found herself captivated by the character`s remarkable strength and intricate nature.
“From my initial understanding, she was a very, very strong woman. And that in itself was intriguing to me,” Dever stated. “After meeting with them and discussing Abby further, I gained more insight into what they envisioned for the role in the series. This made me even more eager to embrace such a part. While I was excited to draw inspiration from Laura Bailey`s original performance, I was equally enthusiastic about the freedom Craig and Neil gave me to bring Abby to life in my unique way. I never felt confined or limited, which was truly exhilarating.”
Despite some fan criticism regarding her casting, Dever asserted that the possibility of backlash never factored into her decision to accept the role. “I would`ve never not done it because of the fear of reading the internet,” she confirmed, though she admitted to glancing at reviews at the start of the season. “I`m human, so I can`t help but look at those things.” However, the strong support she received from the production crew provided a sense of security. “In Season 2, I felt so taken care of,” she remarked. This, combined with the positive reception of the season from audiences, has left her eagerly anticipating Season 3. “It`s pure excitement to be part of such a cool show.”
Dever`s performance was profoundly informed by a personal tragedy. She began filming shortly after the loss of her mother, directly channeling her grief into Abby`s emotional narrative. “I still felt like I was doing The Last of Us for her,” Dever shared. The striking emotional parallels between Abby`s journey and her own personal experience intensified her portrayal and connection to the character.
“She thinks that [what she did to Joel] will make her feel better… and she doesn`t. She’s just as broken as everybody else on this show,” Dever explained. “And gosh, it`s so loaded and so heavy, but I think she also internalizes all of these emotions, and I think that that is what makes her such a strong person. It`s just how much she`s had to go through, how much she’s seen in her life, and how she perseveres and how she pushes through and keeps going. But again, that`s not that different from a lot of the other characters in this story.”
The Last of Us secured a total of 16 Emmy nominations before the September 14 award ceremony, including nods for Bella Ramsey, Geoffrey Wright, Catherine O`Hara, and even Pedro Pascal in a Lead category—despite his appearance in only three episodes. Although Season 3 has been greenlit, Dever`s co-star Bella Ramsey has confirmed they have not yet seen any scripts nor has a shooting start date been set.