The first season of “The Last of Us” became a major TV phenomenon, winning over both existing fans and newcomers alike, and catapulting Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal to stardom. Now, another rising star is set to join them for the show’s second season: Kaitlyn Dever from “Booksmart.”
Dever, who is 27 years old and known for her exceptional performance in Netflix’s “Unbelievable” in 2019 and her Emmy-nominated role in “Dopesick” in 2021, will play Abby, a tough soldier in a Seattle-based militia. Abby is a central character in “The Last of Us Part II,” the video game sequel on which the series’s second season is based.
The first season concluded with Joel (Pascal) rescuing Ellie (Ramsey) from surgeons who were preparing to operate on her to develop a cure for Cordyceps, and then lying to her about what happened. If the show follows the game, season two will open with Joel confessing the truth to his brother Tommy (Gabriel Luna). The story then jumps forward four years, showing Joel, Ellie, Tommy, and others living together in Wyoming. During a patrol, Joel and Tommy save a stranger named Abby from an infected horde. Abby, who belongs to the Washington Liberation Front, is secretly seeking revenge, which will significantly impact them all.
According to Deadline, Dever became the frontrunner for the role shortly after the SAG-AFTRA strike ended in November and finalized the deal soon after. “Our casting process for season two has been identical to season one: we look for world-class actors who embody the souls of the characters in the source material,” series creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann told the publication. “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.”
Joining the cast alongside Dever are Oscar nominee Jeffrey Wright as Isaac, the quietly powerful leader of a large militia group; Catherine O’Hara from “Schitt’s Creek” in an undisclosed guest role; Young Mazino from “Beef” as Jesse, a community pillar who often puts others’ needs before his own at great personal cost; and Isabela Merced from “Madame Web” as Dina, Jesse’s ex and Ellie’s new girlfriend, whose devotion to Ellie will be tested by their harsh world.
“I can’t wait for that storyline,” Ramsey told British Vogue last summer about Ellie and Dina’s relationship. Neither can we.
Expect the new season in 2025. Although it will be shorter than the first with only seven episodes, a potential third season is expected to be significantly larger, according to the creators. And a fourth season isn’t out of the question either. “One thing is absolutely for sure: I don’t see how we could tell the story that remains after season two in just one more season,” Mazin recently told Deadline. “We want every episode to feel like its own blockbuster.”
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