Exclusive: Isabela Merced talks playing Dina in The Last of Us season 2

Isabela Merced has joined The Last of Us season 2 cast as one of Part 2’s most important characters – and has teased her relationship with Ellie.

“[TLOU’s Dina is] sort of a light in Ellie’s life, in Ellie’s world. I think that’s the general consensus, because you look at the video game, too, and she is really the only one who actually gets sort of a decent ending. Everyone else gets kind of screwed or dies!” she tells Total Film in our new issue out on Thursday, July 19, which features Alien: Romulus on the cover.

Merced’s casting was announced earlier this year, and behind-the-scenes photos have already leaked online. No spoilers, especially to those who haven’t played The Last of Us Part 2, but Dina is an important figure in Ellie’s adult life.

Season 2 is set to follow the harrowing storyline of The Last of Us Part 2 video game, which fast forwards to an 18-year-old Ellie and her life as an adult following the events of Part 1.

“I love, more than anything, to be that light for the people in my life. And I like to make them laugh, and I like to make them understand themselves more,” Merced adds. “I just like to help in general. I think Dina’s very close to my own personality. I think we’re both very silly, and I think I would maybe handle the apocalypse in a similar way if I were in it.”

Merced is also currently filming James Gunn’s Superman, in which she plays Hawkgirl. She also recently starred in Madame Web as Anya Corazon a.k.a Spider Girl.

Continues Merced: “Craig [Mazin] and his writing team and Neil [Druckmann] – they’re all extremely good at writing characters and people that are well-rounded and troubled and multidimensional. It’s a beautiful balance that they bring to entertainment but also character studies. It’s very interesting.”