The Last of Us Season 2 casts Kaitlyn Dever as Abby

Abby may be one of the most divisive characters of The Last of Us franchise, but her Season 2 casting has been highly anticipated – and Kaitlyn Dever has scored the role.

The Last of Us proved its staying power as a franchise after the first season of the post-apocalyptic series dropped on HBO, bringing the characters of Joel and Ellie to life with Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey.

Now, with Season 2 well underway, which will be based on the 2020 sequel game, fans have been waiting with bated breath to see who will score the role of the story’s main antagonist – and protagonist – Abby Anderson.

While there have been some rumors, along with many fan castings, it now seems that Kaitlyn Dever, of Booksmart, Dopesick, Dear Evan Hansen, and No One Will Save You fame, has secured the part.

Kaitlyn Dever joins The Last of Us Season 2 cast as Abby

The controversial character of Abby was always going to be a juicy role, and now it seems that the Emmy-nominated Kaitlyn Dever will be stepping in, and no doubt bulking up.

As a result, you may have been searching for any scrap of intel on the highly-anticipated second season. It’s set to follow The Last of Us Part 2, and thus, events involving the controversial character of Abby.

Dever hadn’t always been seen as a frontrunner by fans, as Shannon Berry had long been a popular choice. However, Dever’s casting had seemingly been teased all the way back in August 2023, by both showrunner Craig Mazin and other industry insiders.

The game character, who was originally voiced by Laura Bailey, is a soldier caught in the midst of a guerrilla war and her own personal quest for revenge, which will put her in opposition with fellow lead character Ellie.

“Our casting process for Season 2 has been identical to Season 1: we look for world-class actors who embody the souls of the characters in the source material,” said showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann in a statement (via Deadline). “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.”

This may also be exciting for The Last of Us superfans, who will know that Dever actually auditioned for the role of Ellie a few years back, with the role ultimately going to Bella Ramsey; getting to play Ellie’s rival in the sequel ultimately feels like a great full circle moment.

It was revealed by Deadline last year that Season 2 is set to be filmed in Vancouver, with production slated to begin this February.

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