Kaitlyn Dever Didn’t Audition for Abby in THE LAST OF US Season 2 — “They Know Who Is Right for Their Story”
Kaitlyn Dever stepping into the brutal, emotionally charged role of Abby in The Last of Us Season 2 was not your typical Hollywood casting story. In fact, there wasn’t even an audition. According to Dever, the offer came with zero hurdles, just pure confidence.
“They’re very confident storytellers,” Dever told The Hollywood Reporter, referring to showrunners Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin.
“They know who is right for their story, and they have such confidence in that. It’s very helpful when you’re making something like this, because it allows for freedom, and for feeling safe to play these characters.”
Dever wasn’t the only actor who bypassed the audition process, Isabela Merced (Dina) and Young Mazino (Jesse) also reportedly had similar, straight-to-set experiences.
Interestingly, Dever’s history with this universe goes back a bit further. She originally met with Druckmann years ago about potentially playing Ellie. While that didn’t pan out, the two kept in touch.
Somewhere along the way, Dever ended up doing voice and motion capture work for Uncharted 4, and eventually, the Abby conversation resurfaced, only this time, it stuck.
“I’m still shocked to this day that it happened this way,” she said.
Mazin and Druckmann, previously said of the casting: “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.
“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.”
Dever’s Abby has made her long-anticipated debut in the Season 2 premiere. It’s a brief but weighty introduction, and Abby’s story is going to hit hard. Abby is the daughter of a doctor Joel killed in the Season 1 finale, and she’s carrying the weight of that vengeance into what’s shaping up to be one of the most emotionally complex arcs in the series.
The Last of Us takes place 20 years after modern civilization has been destroyed by a deadly virus. Joel (Pedro Pascal), a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie (Bella Ramsey), a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone to the Fireflies, a cure-searching organization. What starts as a small job soon becomes a brutal, heartbreaking journey, as they both must traverse across the U.S. and depend on each other for survival.