The Last of Us Creator Confirms Major Abby Change for HBO Series (And It Makes Sense)

The showrunners of HBO’s The Last of Us have confirmed a huge change to one of the show’s biggest new characters, Abby. Played by Booksmart‘s Kaitlyn Dever, The Last of Us TV series is set to bring in the controversial character who made her debut in the second video game. We’ve seen clips and teases of Dever’s performance via trailers for the new season, but haven’t seen her too much in action just yet. However, the creator of The Last of Us has come forward to reveal why this version of Abby, while keeping her intact personality-wise, doesn’t look the same as gamers expected she would.

In an interview with EW for the upcoming second season, which launches in April, showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann opened up about the game’s version of the Abby character, played by Laura Bailey. Specifically, Druckmann decided to change Abby’s physique for the show, a stark contrast to her bulkier and taller appearance in the game. Druckmann’s reasoning was, “There’s not as much violent action moment to moment. It’s more about the drama. I’m not saying there’s no action here. It’s just, again, different priorities and how you approach it.”

Showrunner Craig Mazin adds, “I personally think that there is an amazing opportunity here to delve into someone who is perhaps physically more vulnerable than the Abby in the game, but whose spirit is stronger. And then the question is, ‘Where does her formidable nature come from and how does it manifest?’ That’s something that will be explored now and later.”

TV’s Version of Abby Will Be Different Than Her Counterpart in The Last of Us Part 2

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As mentioned before, those who played The Last of Us Part 2 know Abby, outside of her controversial actions, as a muscular, tall, and brash individual. Yet, as we’ve seen throughout multiple adaptations, especially with The Last of Us, there isn’t a need to cast someone who looks just like the game’s counterpart. Abby’s physique did play a role in the game, as the character used her brute force in many situations, but, given the show’s openness to change, it’s clear they have a way they’ll go about addressing that.

“Kaitlyn has the spirit of the game in her,” Druckmann added. “What I always loved about the idea was that you are going to continually be challenged as you were in season 1. When you try to pick a hero, it’s tough because we’re human beings, we’re not heroes. For every heroic act, there’s someone who suffers on the other side who may see you reasonably as a villain. When you look at Kaitlyn, there’s just something in her eyes where, even no matter what she’s experiencing, you connect. It was important that we found somebody that we could connect to the way we connect to Bella.”

Dever, who is one of Hollywood’s most promising rising stars, has had a rather successful career as of late. From starring in the hit teen comedy Booksmart to the thrilling alien horror No One Will Save You, she even earned a Primetime Emmy nomination for her role as Betsy in Dopesick. Furthermore, Dever has worked with Neil Druckmann before, as she voiced Cassie Drake, Nathan and Elena’s daughter, in Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End. In a true twist of fate, Dever was previously in the running for the role of Ellie back when The Last of Us was in development as a movie. Either way, no matter how Abby appears, she’ll no doubt bring a memorable performance, as her gaming counterpart delivered back in 2020.

The Last of Us Season 2 will be released in April 2025. The first season is available to stream on Max and watch on HBO’s TV channels. To keep up to date on all things The Last of Us, both for the TV show and the games, keep it here at ComicBook.