The role of Abby in HBO's The Last of Us has finally been announced, with actor Kaitlyn Dever, best known for her roles in "Booksmart," "Nobody to Protect Me," and, of course, the Naughty Dog game Uncharted 4 The film is a great success," said Kaitlyn Dever.

"Nothing is more important than talent, and we are thrilled to have a high-profile performer like Kaitlyn join Pedro, Bella, and the rest of the family."

Season 2 of The Last of Us is expected to follow the events of The Last of Us 2, set five years after The Last of Us, with Abby playing an important role. However, it remains to be seen how closely the story of "The Last of Us 2" will be retold: the story of the first season may differ from the story told in the game, especially the relationship between the supporting characters Bill and Frank (incidentally, actor Nick Offerman won an Emmy for his work in this ) would be a prominent consideration. Mazin said in March 2023 that a second season would chart a similar course.

"Some things will be radically different, some things will be totally (almost) the same," he said. 'But it will be different, it will be unique. It won't be exactly the same as the game. It will be the program that Neil and I want to create."

HBO describes Abby as "a skilled soldier whose black-and-white worldview is subverted in order to exact revenge on a loved one," which is accurate, if somewhat understated. Among fans of "The Last of Us," however, the character is controversial. As seen in this Reddit thread, many find her complex, flawed, and ultimately very human, while a very vocal few take issue with her appearance, behavior (she's a very buff, muscular woman who doesn't take shit), and in-game actions. Again, without spoiling anything, by the end of the film, she is not endearing to everyone.

While the social media reaction to Deaver's casting has been generally positive, some followers have expressed hope that she will not receive overly damaging backlash for accepting the role, and that HBO and Naughty Dog will be on her side if that happens Some hope that they will. It's a sad reality for female actors: for example, Kelly Marie Tran famously faced a massive storm of abuse for playing Rose Tico in "Star Wars: The Last Jedi," and more recently, "The Last of Us" star Bella Ramsey, after being cast as Ellie, She told "GQ" that she was subjected to widespread online abuse and hatred after being cast as Ellie.

Despite such risks, "The Last of Us" has the potential to be an important role for Diver. The series has been well received by critics and recently won eight Emmys out of 24 nominations, including an offerman. Producers and showrunners are buoyed by its success, and Season 2 could break even. It will be a while before we know: season 2 of The Last of Us is expected to be released in 2025.