The Last of Us showrunner praises Abby actor's "physically tremendous" performance ahead of season 2: "We just haven't f**ked up in casting"

The Last of Us co-showrunner Craig Mazin has heaped praise on the clutch of newcomers in the upcoming second season – while also zeroing in on Abby actor Kaitlyn Dever's "physically tremendous" performance.

Speaking at a press conference attended by GamesRadar+, Mazin said Dever "did things that I'm not sure you should have done. I don't know how you did them."

Mazin added, "When we meet new performers… you're like, 'Well, what can you actually do? What are you comfortable with?' Kaitlyn would never say no. And it was amazing. When you see how physical – how physically tremendous – her performance is, it's kind of insane."

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Dever (who was once in talks to play Ellie in The Last of Us movie that never got off the ground) is set to play Abby, a new survivor who suddenly enters the orbit of Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) – to brutal effect.

However, the creative team has already been at pains to mention that Dever won't reflect her game counterpart's more muscular physique.

"We need someone to really capture the essence of those characters.... We don't value as much, 'Do they look exactly like the character with their eyebrows or their nose or their body?'" fellow co-showrunner Neil Druckmann told Entertainment Weekly recently. "Whatever it is. It's not nowhere on the priority list, but it's below a bunch of other things that we consider."

Yet, the Abby actor isn't the only fresh face showing up in Jackson and beyond in The Last of Us season 2.

The new episodes, an adaptation of 2020's The Last of Us Part 2, will bring in several characters from the game sequel – including Ellie's love interest Dina (Isabela Merced), Jesse (Young Mazino), and Manny (Danny Ramirez).

Mazin is also keen to share the love around there, declaring that they haven't whiffed once on their casting choices this year.

"We just haven't fucked up in casting," Mazin says. "Sooner or later, I think we would. But every single one of these guys, I can't wait for you to see what they do and how they interact with each other."

The Last of Us season 2 premieres on HBO on April 13 and on Sky/NOW TV on April 14. For more, check out the best shows on Max to watch right now.