Isabela Merced Says Kaitlyn Dever Needed Extra Security on The Last of Us Set

Joining the second season of HBO’s “The Last of Us” live-action series is Kaitlyn Dever, who steps into the controversial role of Abby Anderson. Abby has been a polarizing figure since “The Last of Us 2” was released, acting as an antagonist to beloved characters Joel and Ellie. Unfortunately, this has led to some real-world concerns for Dever, as some fans’ hatred towards Abby has raised significant concerns on set. According to fellow cast member Isabela Merced, Dever needed extra security during filming to ensure her safety.

Merced shared these details on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, noting that people “genuinely hate” the character Abby, whose actions in the game have been a point of contention. “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 said. “Kaitlyn had to be extra secured by security when it came to the filming of this.”

The backlash against Dever’s casting has been ongoing since it was first announced. Many gamers have a specific image in mind for Abby’s character and have taken issue with Dever’s physical appearance, claiming she doesn’t match the muscular build of the video game character. This criticism has, at times, escalated to a level that has led to the increased security measures for Dever on set.

Abby is a character who lacks a substantial fanbase or many “apologists,” making the position that Dever finds herself in more challenging. Despite the character’s divisiveness, both the show’s creator and the video game’s original creator are collaborating closely on this adaptation. This close collaboration should assure fans of the authenticity of Abby’s portrayal in the series.

Merced expressed her confusion over the backlash, stating, “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?” Merced added that she finds the online negativity particularly frustrating, even joking that it makes her want to “go Cardi B” on the critics. She praised Dever, describing her as an incredibly composed individual who remains unfazed by the criticism. “Kaitlyn is such a cool person who does not get phased by things. 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,” Merced enthused.

Both Dever and Merced are new faces in the second season, joining a cast that includes returning stars Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal. Additional new cast members for this season include Ariela Barer, Catherine O’Hara, Danny Ramirez, Jeffrey Wright, Tati Gabrielle, Young Mazino, and Spencer Lord. “The Last of Us” Season 2 is set to premiere in 2025.