The Last of Us season 2 star Kaitlyn Dever has revealed that she didn't have to audition to get the role of Abby – showrunners Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin said the role was hers, if she wanted it.
"They’re very confident storytellers," Dever told The Hollywood Reporter. "They know who is right for their story, and they have such confidence in that. It’s very helpful when you’re making something like this, because it allows for freedom, and for feeling safe to play these characters."
According to the publication, Dever's castmates and other season 2 newcomers Isabela Merced and Young Mazino, who play Dina and Jesse, had similar experiences when it came to joining the show.
Dever had originally met with Druckmann several years ago about potentially playing Ellie in the series, which didn't work out. The pair stayed in touch, though, and Dever did some voice and motion capture work on Naughty Dog's Uncharted 4, before the offer to play Abby came through. "I’m still shocked to this day that it happened this way," she added.
Abby made her TV show debut in the season 2 premiere, making a brief but chilling first impression. She's part of the Firefly group who came up against Joel in the season 1 finale, when he took down everyone in his path to save Ellie from having her brain removed in the hopes of finding a cure. Abby's father was one of the people he killed, and she's out for revenge.
New episodes of The Last of Us season 2 are released weekly on HBO and Max in the US and Sky and NOW in the UK. Make sure you don't miss an episode with our The Last of Us season 2 release schedule, or read more about the new season in our spoiler-free The Last of Us season 2 review.
