Season 2 of The Last Of Us may have found one of its central characters, as it’s reported that Booksmart’s Kaitlyn Dever is in talks to play Abby Anderson.
Given the prestige TV treatment by writer/creator duo Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin, The Last Of Us was a major ratings success early this year – in fact, HBO ordered a second season almost as soon as episodes began to air in January.
Now that those strikes are over, it’s widely reported that The Last Of Us season two will begin production in early 2024 – indeed, an entry on the Film & Television Industry Alliance’s website (as spotted by Insider Gaming) reveals that filming is set to begin on 7th January 2024 in Vancouver.
If that’s the case, then filming is mere weeks away – which might be why we’re starting to hear some casting gossip emerge from Hollywood insiders. Here comes a morsel now: according to the well-connected Jeff Sneider, Booksmart star Kaitlyn Dever is in talks to play the key role of Abby Anderson in the upcoming second series.
As fans of the games will tell you, Abby is one of the two playable characters in The Last Of Us Part 2. Portrayed in the game by Laura Bailey, Abby’s a battle-hardened 20-something on a revenge mission, and – without spoiling things for the unfamiliar – she plays a pivotal role in the unfolding plot.
According to Sneider, Dever – who was once in the contention for the role of Ellie, which ultimately went to Bella Ramsey – was offered the part thanks to her performance in No One Will Save You, writer-director Brian Duffield’s terrific sci-fi horror. if you haven’t seen it yet, you’ll find it on Disney+ in the UK. It’s well worth seeking out, both for Dever’s physical, almost dialogue-free performance and Duffield’s commanding build-up of suspense.
It hasn’t been confirmed yet whether Dever has accepted the offer yet, of course, but if she does, it’d be another fine addition to the series’ already sterling cast. Ramsey is set to reprise her role as Ellie, while Pedro Pascal will again play the world-weary Joel in the upcoming second season.
More on this as it comes in.
