The Last of Us Season 2's Abby, Kaitlyn Dever, Says It's 'Hard Not to See Those Things on the Internet'

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 unfortunately been the target of significant online toxicity, with harassment extending to Naughty Dog employees, including Neil Druckmann and actress Laura Bailey, involving threats and abuse directed at them and their families. This negative response prompted HBO to provide Dever with additional security during filming.

“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,” Isabel Merced (Dina in Season 2) noted, highlighting the disturbing reality of the situation.

The Last of Us Season 2 Character Posters

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In a recent interview with ScreenRant, Dever discussed the anticipation surrounding her portrayal of Abby, stating, “Well, it's hard not to see those things on the internet. 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?

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Neil Druckmann recently clarified that the HBO adaptation will differ from the game's depiction of Abby's physique. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Druckmann and Craig Mazin explained that Dever's physical build wasn't a priority, as Abby's physicality in the show doesn't need to mirror the game's mechanics. Druckmann emphasized that finding an actress as talented as Dever was crucial, noting the differing gameplay requirements for Ellie and Abby in the game. Mazin added, "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." This suggests a multi-season arc for Abby's story. Mazin previously indicated that *The Last of Us Part II* has ample material for more than one season, and that Season 2 concludes with a "natural breakpoint" after seven episodes, leaving the door open for future seasons.