Isabela Merced Says Kaitlyn Dever Needed Extra Security On ‘The Last of Us’ Set

Kaitlyn Dever’s involvement in the upcoming second season of HBO’s The Last of Us is already generating significant buzz.

Co-star Isabela Merced revealed on the Happy Sad Confused podcast that Dever had to be heavily guarded on set. This precaution was due to the intense dislike some people have for her character, Abby Anderson. Abby, a soldier who clashes with Ellie, played by Bella Ramsey, has sparked strong reactions. “There’s so many strange people in this world because there are people that actually genuinely hate Abby, who is not a real person,” Merced explained. “Kaitlyn had to be extra secured by security when it came to the filming of this.”

Abby’s character has not only faced backlash for her antagonistic role opposite Ellie and Joel, portrayed by Pedro Pascal, but also due to her appearance. Some game fans have expressed disdain over Abby’s looks and unfounded rumors of her being transgender. Additionally, criticisms have emerged claiming Dever doesn’t possess the muscular build the character demands.

Merced expressed her confusion over the backlash, pointing out that the showrunner and the video game creator collaborated on the series. “What confuses me is the showrunner and creator of the video game, they work together to make this, so if you like what the guy made and he’s making more of it, why are you mad? I’m too opinionated to be on Twitter. I see this stuff on Twitter, and it makes me want to go Cardi B on them.”

Merced herself plays Dina, Ellie’s partner and co-conspirator in Season 2. She also stepped up to defend Dever, whose mother sadly passed away from breast cancer in February. “Kaitlyn is such a cool person who does not get phased by things,” she said. “She really had her head in the right place, and also is going through a lot personally right now. It’s devastating to see, but also give her the damn Emmy, honestly. I’m so excited for people to see how incredibly well Bella and Kaitlyn did on this.”

In addition to Dever and Merced, Season 2 will feature several notable newcomers, including Catherine O’Hara, Jeffrey Wright, Danny Ramirez, Tati Gabrielle, Young Mazino, Ariela Barer, and Spencer Lord. The new season is slated to premiere on Max in 2025.

Source: Particle News