Last of Us Season 2: Dever on Online Fan Reactions

Actress Kaitlyn Dever, cast as Abby in The Last of Us Season 2, acknowledges the difficulty of ignoring online reactions to her portrayal. The character of Abby has been the target of significant online toxicity, with harassment directed at Naughty Dog employees, including Neil Druckmann and Laura Bailey, extending to threats and abuse against Bailey's family. This negative reception prompted HBO to provide Dever with additional security during filming. Isabel Merced, who plays Dina, commented on the disturbing reality of fans directing hatred towards a fictional character, emphasizing that Abby is not a real person.

The Last of Us Season 2 Character Posters

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In a ScreenRant interview, Dever discussed the anticipation surrounding her portrayal of Abby. She admitted to occasionally checking online responses, driven by a desire to do the character justice and make fans proud. However, her primary focus remained on collaborating with Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin to understand Abby's core motivations, emotional state, and the driving forces behind her anger, frustration, and grief.

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Neil Druckmann recently explained that the HBO adaptation of The Last of Us Part 2 will portray Abby with a different physicality than in the game. The showrunners, Druckmann and Craig Mazin, clarified to Entertainment Weekly that Dever's casting didn't require her to undergo extensive physical transformation because Abby's role in the show doesn't necessitate mirroring the game's mechanics. Druckmann highlighted Dever's exceptional talent, emphasizing that her portrayal would focus on Abby's emotional strength rather than physical prowess, which is less central to the show's narrative. Mazin added that the show explores Abby's formidable nature from a different perspective, focusing on her inner strength rather than solely her physical attributes. Their comments about "now and later" hint at plans to adapt The Last of Us Part 2 beyond a single season. While a third season isn't yet confirmed, Mazin stated that Season 2 concludes with a natural breakpoint after seven episodes, reflecting the substantial amount of story material to cover from the game.