HBO's highly anticipated second season of "The Last of Us" has officially premiered, and the new character Abby, portrayed by Kaitlyn Dever, is already drawing significant attention. Compared to her controversial, often villainized portrayal in the game, the series' Abby appears more humanized and relatable to audiences. In an interview with "Elle" magazine, Dever admitted that her goal from the outset was to make Abby a more flesh-and-blood character.
"I want audiences to see the brokenness in her eyes," Dever stated. "I want to humanize her as much as possible. While her exterior might seem tough, making it easy to label her a 'villain,' she's actually a deeply wounded, vulnerable, and authentic person."
Dever added that Abby's pain and loss are the true core motivations driving her actions. She further explained that how grief manifests in a person is something she is very interested in. Dever believes that if Abby's experiences can make an audience member feel understood in their own loss, then the character has served its purpose.
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It's worth noting that Dever originally had the opportunity to play Ellie. She revealed that she had been in contact with game co-creator Neil Druckmann during the game's development phase and even visited Naughty Dog's studio in person.
"At that time, they were working on the second game, and I really wanted to be a part of that world," she said. "Even though I didn't get to play Ellie then, I never forgot 'The Last of Us.' To return to this universe as Abby is truly a dream come true for me."
via： Elle