THE LAST OF US Creators Explain Major Change for Abby in the HBO Series

HBO’s The Last of Us is gearing up for its highly anticipated second season, and a lot of fans have been talking about the introduction of Abby, a character whose part in The Last of Us Part II stirred plenty of debate. Played by Booksmart star Kaitlyn Dever, Abby’s arrival is already a hot topic, especially since her live-action portrayal will differ visually from what players remember from the game. Now, the series creators have opened up about why that change was made.In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann addressed the adaptation’s approach to Abby, particularly in terms of her physique. In the game, Abby is originally portrayed by voice actress Laura Bailey, and she is a muscular powerhouse, her physicality playing a major role in her ability to survive. However, the HBO series is taking a different direction. Druckmann explained the reasoning behind this choice, saying:“There’s not as much violent action moment to moment. It’s more about the drama. I’m not saying there’s no action here. It’s just, again, different priorities and how you approach it.”Rather than focusing on Abby’s physical appearance, the show will explore her strength in a different way. Mazin elaborated on this, emphasizing the opportunity to dig deeper into Abby’s character:“I personally think that there is an amazing opportunity here to delve into someone who is perhaps physically more vulnerable than the Abby in the game, but whose spirit is stronger. “And then the question is, ‘Where does her formidable nature come from and how does it manifest?’ That’s something that will be explored now and later.”The decision to move away from Abby’s game-accurate physique might surprise some fans, but it aligns with the series’ broader approach to adaptation. The show has already demonstrated that faithfulness to the story doesn’t require an exact replication of the source material’s aesthetics. While Abby’s muscular build was a defining part of her in-game presence, the creators clearly believe that her essence, her drive, her resilience, and her morally complex journey will translate just as powerfully through Dever’s performance.Druckmann shared his confidence in Dever’s ability to capture the depth of Abby’s character saying:“Kaitlyn has the spirit of the game in her. What I always loved about the idea was that you are going to continually be challenged as you were in season 1. “When you try to pick a hero, it’s tough because we’re human beings, we’re not heroes. For every heroic act, there’s someone who suffers on the other side who may see you reasonably as a villain. “When you look at Kaitlyn, there’s just something in her eyes where, even no matter what she’s experiencing, you connect. It was important that we found somebody that we could connect to the way we connect to Bella.”We’ll just have to wait and see how fans handle these changes. Regardless Mazin and Druckmann are dedicated to telling Abby’s story in a way that feels authentic to the show’s emotional core.The series chronicles the story of Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) as they navigate a world overrun with zombies infected with a parasitic fungus — not to mention the ruthless vigilantes, mercenaries and cannibals just as desperate to survive.In Season 2: “After five years of peace following the events of the first season, Joel and Ellie’s collective past catches up to them, drawing them into conflict with each other and a world even more dangerous and unpredictable than the one they left behind.”The series also stars Gabriel Luna, and Rutina Wesley. New cast members for Season 2 include Kaitlyn Dever as Abby, Isabela Merced as Dina, Young Mazino as Jesse, Ariela Barer as Mel, Tati Gabrielle as Nora, Spencer Lord as Owen, and Danny Ramirez as Manny. Catherine O’Hara also guest stars in a secret role and Jeffrey Wright joined the cast taking on the role of Isaac.The Last of Us Season 2 will be released in April 2025.

Feb 5, 2025 - 17:56

THE LAST OF US Creators Explain Major Change for Abby in the HBO Series

HBO’s The Last of Us is gearing up for its highly anticipated second season, and a lot of fans have been talking about the introduction of Abby, a character whose part in The Last of Us Part II stirred plenty of debate.

Played by Booksmart star Kaitlyn Dever, Abby’s arrival is already a hot topic, especially since her live-action portrayal will differ visually from what players remember from the game. Now, the series creators have opened up about why that change was made.

In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann addressed the adaptation’s approach to Abby, particularly in terms of her physique.

In the game, Abby is originally portrayed by voice actress Laura Bailey, and she is a muscular powerhouse, her physicality playing a major role in her ability to survive.

However, the HBO series is taking a different direction. Druckmann explained the reasoning behind this choice, saying:

“There’s not as much violent action moment to moment. It’s more about the drama. I’m not saying there’s no action here. It’s just, again, different priorities and how you approach it.”

Rather than focusing on Abby’s physical appearance, the show will explore her strength in a different way. Mazin elaborated on this, emphasizing the opportunity to dig deeper into Abby’s character:

“I personally think that there is an amazing opportunity here to delve into someone who is perhaps physically more vulnerable than the Abby in the game, but whose spirit is stronger.
“And then the question is, ‘Where does her formidable nature come from and how does it manifest?’ That’s something that will be explored now and later.”

The decision to move away from Abby’s game-accurate physique might surprise some fans, but it aligns with the series’ broader approach to adaptation.

The show has already demonstrated that faithfulness to the story doesn’t require an exact replication of the source material’s aesthetics.

While Abby’s muscular build was a defining part of her in-game presence, the creators clearly believe that her essence, her drive, her resilience, and her morally complex journey will translate just as powerfully through Dever’s performance.

Druckmann shared his confidence in Dever’s ability to capture the depth of Abby’s character saying:

“Kaitlyn has the spirit of the game in her. What I always loved about the idea was that you are going to continually be challenged as you were in season 1.
“When you try to pick a hero, it’s tough because we’re human beings, we’re not heroes. For every heroic act, there’s someone who suffers on the other side who may see you reasonably as a villain.
“When you look at Kaitlyn, there’s just something in her eyes where, even no matter what she’s experiencing, you connect. It was important that we found somebody that we could connect to the way we connect to Bella.”

We’ll just have to wait and see how fans handle these changes. Regardless Mazin and Druckmann are dedicated to telling Abby’s story in a way that feels authentic to the show’s emotional core.

The series chronicles the story of Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) as they navigate a world overrun with zombies infected with a parasitic fungus — not to mention the ruthless vigilantes, mercenaries and cannibals just as desperate to survive.

In Season 2: “After five years of peace following the events of the first season, Joel and Ellie’s collective past catches up to them, drawing them into conflict with each other and a world even more dangerous and unpredictable than the one they left behind.”

The series also stars Gabriel Luna, and Rutina Wesley. New cast members for Season 2 include Kaitlyn Dever as Abby, Isabela Merced as Dina, Young Mazino as Jesse, Ariela Barer as Mel, Tati Gabrielle as Nora, Spencer Lord as Owen, and Danny Ramirez as Manny.

Catherine O’Hara also guest stars in a secret role and Jeffrey Wright joined the cast taking on the role of Isaac.

The Last of Us Season 2 will be released in April 2025.