HBO has tapped Kaitlyn Dever (Dopesick) to play the new protagonist Abby in Season 2 of the video game adaptation The Last of Us.
Dever joins Pedro Pascal (Joel) and Bella Ramsey (Ellie) as a primary cast member. Season 2 is based on the 2020 video game The Last of Us Part II, which features Abby (portrayed by Laura Bailey) as one of the playable characters.
“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 showrunner Craig Mazin in a statement. “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.”
Written and executive produced by Mazin with video game creator Neil Druckmann, Season 2 of The Last of Us will be filmed in Vancouver, with production slated to begin next month. This past November, HBO CEO Casey Bloys said the network was eyeing a 2025 premiere.
After breaking out in the FX series Justified, Dever was a regular cast member in the sitcom Last Man Standing. More recently, she has starred in the critically acclaimed film Booksmart and earned Golden Globe nominations for her roles in the true crime series Unbelievable and Hulu’s opioid crisis show Dopesick.
Be sure to read why The Last of Us was one of the best TV shows of last year.
