Booksmart actor cast in apocalyptic drama as vengeful soldier Abby, as TV series creators eschew close physical likenesses to the video game character

She’s one of the most controversial video game characters of the last five years, and now her role has been cast for season two of HBO’s The Last of Us adaptation. Booksmart and Justified actor Kaitlyn Dever will play vengeful soldier Abby who comes into deadly conflict with the main protagonist, Ellie, throughout video game sequel The Last of Us Part II.

It’s another intriguing casting choice by the makers of the TV series, who have eschewed close physical likenesses to the original game characters. Indeed, 27-year-old Dever was a fan favourite to play Ellie when the show was announced, due to her resemblance to the lead character and her short role in Uncharted 4, also developed by The Last of Us creator Naughty Dog. However, the showrunners opted for the younger actor, Bella Ramsey, who more closely matched Ellie in age.

“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,” said series creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann in a joint press statement. “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.”

The Last of Us is a bleak apocalyptic drama, in which the last few humans battle to survive in a world ravaged by a parasitic fungus that transforms victims into cannabalistic monsters. In the first game, and the initial season of the TV show, teenager Ellie discovers she is immune to the infection and accompanied by begrudging guardian Joel must travel across America to a laboratory working on a cure. Both the games and the show have been huge critical and commercial hits.

The Last of Us Part II has also been widely revered, selling 10m copies in its first two years. But the character of Abby was the subject of misogynistic online abuse due to her complex role in the game while her muscular physique drew body-shaming comments on games forums and social media. The actor who played Abby in the game, Laura Bailey, received death threats.

But the reaction to the television series, which was nominated for multiple Emmy awards, has been almost universally positive, and while the casting of Ramsey as Ellie was initially questioned, they proved excellent in the role, building a close, convincing relationship with Joel actor Pedro Pascal.

Production of The Last of Us season two is due to begin in spring, with a premiere expected in 2025.