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Total Film
Total Film
Entertainment
Nick Staniforth

The Last of Us showrunner says newcomer Kaitlyn Dever was "within The Last of Us DNA" before the show existed

Kaitlyn Dever as Abby in The Last Of Us season 2.

Whether fans like it or not, Kaitlyn Dever's Abby is coming to the second season of The Last of Us, bringing to life perhaps one of the most divisive characters in video games over the last decade. But while Dever's name might be a new one added to the cast list, its co-showrunner, Craig Mazin, assures that she's always been linked to this world and, at one point, even considered for the role of Ellie herself.

Following the release of the new trailer for season 2, the cast was in attendance at SXSW and teased what we could expect from this gut-wrenching but gripping world audiences have learned to love. In the case of the show's brand new cast member, Mazin revealed Dever's history with the post-apocalyptic drama before she was thrown into the mix. “Kaitlyn was within The Last of Us DNA because when she was younger and [co-showrunner Neil Druckmann] and I were contemplating making The Last of Us as a movie were considered casting her for Ellie. And when the show rolled around she was no longer convincingly 14, I think it’s fair to say. "

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