The first new cast members for the highly anticipated return of HBO’s The Last of Us season two has been announced. Kaitlyn Dever has joined the cast of the acclaimed post-apocalyptic drama as the controversial vindictive soldier Abby Anderson. “Our casting process for season two has been identical to season one: we look for world-class actors who embody the souls of the characters in the source material,” co-creators, writers, executive producers and directors Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann explained in a joint press release. “Nothing matters more than talent, and we’re thrilled to have an acclaimed performer like Kaitlyn join Pedro, Bella and the rest of our family.” News of the casting of Abby Anderson came in September last year.
In an interview with LA Times, Mazin revealed that the position had been filled. Dever is best known for her roles in Booksmart and Justified and has previously featured in Uncharted 4, another Naughty Dog creation.
Dever has responded to the news with a post on Instagram that said: “So excited to be joining the family.” Alongside Dever, recently Emmy-nominated Young Mazino for his role as Paul Cho in Beef has been cast as Jesse, a beloved member of the franchise. “Young is one of those rare actors who is immediately undeniable the moment you see him.
We’re so lucky to have him, and we can’t wait for the audience to see Young shine in our show,” the co-creators shared. Early in 2023, the HBO adaptation of the popular Naughty Dog game franchise was met with widespread critical acclaim.