Summary
The composer forThe Last of UsTV series has revealed how confused he was when he initially learned that the show had confirmed that Kaitlyn Dever would be jumping into the role of Abby Anderson in season 2. Now that season 2 of HBO’sThe Last of Usis done and dusted, conversations have turned towards its next installment into Naughty Dog’s gaming sequel,The Last of Us Part 2, from which the show is adapted.
While fans knew there would be somechanges toThe Last of Usseason 2’s returning episodes, some really didn’t appreciate such key details from the game being moved around or even removed. For instance, some fans of the video game were confused about the porch scene between Joel and Ellie being moved to the penultimate episode, feeling like it diminished the impact of key moments in the story or howEllie was portrayed as being less traumatized and vengeful in Season 2than how the character was in the game. While it’s hard to get everything right when adapting a highly popular video game to the small screen, co-creators Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin did a stellar job overall, implementing stunning aspects like its post-apocalyptic environments and capturing the terror of the game’s infected, especially the creepy stalkers and the imposing Bloater as it bulldozed through Jackson. However, it seems as though even the show’s composer was scratching his head over Kaitlyn Dever landing the role of Abby.
The Last of Us TV Composer Was Baffled About Kaitlyn Dever Being Cast as Abby
While speaking onThe Last of Us Podcast: Savage Starlight, Jake Staley, a composer and producer whose work can be heard in movies and TV shows likeSweet Tooth, The MiddlemanandLift,talked about why the introduction of Kaitlyn Dever taking on the role of Abby Anderson inThe Last of Usseason 2 made him utterly confused. “I know the games somewhat, so I’m like, ‘Okay, what’s with these casting choices?’” Staley expressed. “The Abby one, specifically, I’m a little confused about, and maybe I’m not the only one.”
Staley went on to say that he understood the show wanting Dever due to her being a fantastic actor, but he just didn’t get why they cast someone who looked so different from video game Abby. “I get it from like a making TV standpoint, but like I’m also like, ‘Okay, but it’s just so different. And it’s not about good or bad; it just makes you wonder, said Staley. ‘Okay, I’m trying to understand what we’re trying to achieve here.’”
Abby inThe Last of Us Part 2is a bulky and muscled woman who towers over her opponents due to her size. Of course, Kaitlyn Dever being cast as Abby inThe Last of Usseason 2 quickly raised questions aboutwhether the actress would be bulking upfor the role. Neil Druckmann, creator ofThe Last of Usand showrunner of the series, previously revealed that theTV show’s version of Abby would not match the physical appearance of the character in the game, and would instead be closer to Dever’s natural size and weight, as sheer muscle strength wasn’t needed outside the game when adapting a TV show, so the change made complete sense.
Now that we know thatseason 3 ofThe Last of Usis moving forward, and very likely season 4 too, it has been confirmed by the show’s co-creators that Abby will be the main focus of its returning season. As of writing, there is no confirmation of whenThe Last of Usseason 3 will begin filming, but it’s likely not to commence until sometime in 2026, with a possible release date of 2027.
