‘The Last of Us’ Alums on Kaitlyn Dever’s “Gratifying” Season 2, Episode 2 Performance

There’s no moment more controversial — or more emotionally charged — in The Last of Us franchise than Joel’s (Pedro Pascal) death. And in HBO’s Season 2, Episode 2, that moment finally arrived in all its horrific, grim and unrelenting brutality. But while the world reeled from losing Joel, the creators and cast were equally focused on the impossible challenge placed on one actor’s shoulders: Kaitlyn Dever, who plays Abby. Now, we have to be honest about things here. Abby doesn’t just kill Joel. She mercilessly beats him to death, one of TV’s most beloved father figures, in front of Ellie (Bella Ramsey) — and in front of millions of viewers. Stepping into that role? It took guts.

“Just like Laura [Bailey – who played Abby in the PS4 game] I would say Kaitlyn, knowing what she’s signing up for, in many ways, is as Laura Bailey was for the game, the bravest person to step foot on that stage,” said Troy Baker on the official HBO companion podcast. “Because she has to do the unthinkable. Those actors have to do the unthinkable. You’re gonna kill the most beloved person. So hats off to not only Laura Bailey in the game, but also to Kaitlyn in the show.”

Neil Druckmann Says He Was Nervous About Casting Abby

Dever’s version of Abby makes her entrance with ferocity, rage, and heartbreak — and it’s that emotional duality that makes the character more than just a villain — even if many viewers are going to struggle to accept that, for the time being. Neil Druckmann, co-creator of both the game and the series, admitted he felt the pressure too.

“This is another one of those moments that… I mean, obviously this all the way to Joel’s death. Laura Bailey did such an incredible job in the game as Abby that as good as I know Kaitlyn [is], there’s a nervousness that we won’t capture that same essence. And again, it’s like — just to see someone deliver on that, on that sequence, is just a very gratifying feeling.”

That “essence” Druckmann refers to isn’t just about performance, there’s an entire legacy to the character that includes fan expectation and the backlash towards Abby’s character. When The Last of Us Part II first dropped, Abby became one of the most polarizing figures in modern gaming. Translating that to live action was always going to be a tall order, but thanks to Dever’s performance, it feels both horrifying and heartbreakingly inevitable.

The Last of Us Season 2 airs on Sundays at 9PM on HBO, with streaming on Max.

Source: The Last of Us Podcast