Alien: Romulus director says a major role was inspired by The Last Of Us - and "a year later" the same actor was cast on the HBO show

Isabela Merced as Kay in Alien: Romulus — (Image credit: 20th Century Studios)

Alien: Romulus director Fede Alvarez says Isabela Merced's character was inspired by The Last of Us Part 2...well before she was cast in season 2 of the HBO show.

"Fun fact: I was playing #TheLastOfUs2 while writing #AlienRomulus The story of a pregnant Dina made me think of having the character of Kay be pregnant too," Alvarez wrote on Twitter. "Then I cast Isabela Merced to play Kay…. A year later she gets cast to play Dina on the HBO show…. True story."

The filmmaker was responding to a fan who wrote, "Tell us you've already played The Last of Us" in response to a tweet containing a series of Alien: Romulus character trading cards – in which Cailee Spaeny looks a bit like the video game version of Ellie, and the characters are donning outfits and weapons that have major TLOU vibes overall.

It was announced earlier this year that Merced would play Dina, an important figure in Ellie's adult life, in The Last of Us season 2 – which is based on the sequel to the hit video game (and is arguably much more emotionally devastating than its predecessor). No major spoilers, in case you haven't already played the game, but her character is, in fact, pregnant – although maybe not in the same scary outer space way that Kay is in Romulus.

Fun fact: I was playing #TheLastOfUs2 while writing #AlienRomulus The story of a pregnant Dina made me think of having the character of Kay be pregnant too. Then I cast Isabella Merced to play Kay…. A year later she gets cast to play Dina on the HBO show…. True story. https://t.co/fABV9L1x1I pic.twitter.com/prDV6bHTYfAugust 24, 2024

Alien: Romulus is in theaters now. The Last of Us season 2 is set hit Max sometime in 2025. For more, check out our guides to the Alien Romulus ending explained, Alien Romulus timeline, and Alien Romulus post-credits scene.