HBO’s The Last of Us has cast its character Abby.

HBO’s second season of “The Last of Us” will star Golden Globe and Emmy nominee, Kaitlyn Dever, as Abby Anderson, the antagonist and playable character from “The Last of Us Part 2” video game. Dever is slated to join the return of Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, who plays the roles of Joel and Ellie respectively, in the post-apocalyptic video game series adaptation. Dever’s previous experience includes roles in films such as “Booksmart” and “No One Can Save You,” and TV series “Justified” and “Dopesick.” She also made an appearance in Naughty Dog’s “Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End” as Cassie, daughter of the game’s main characters.

“Abby,” in the video game, was originally brought to life by voice actor Laura Bailey, who also made a cameo appearance in the first season of HBO’s “The Last of Us.” However, Abby’s character design was based on two other women – face model Jocelyn Mettler and athlete Colleen Fotsch. Notably, the character portrayal led to significant backlash from the video game’s fanbase, which included harassment and death threats.

The role of Abby in the next season (and possible subsequent seasons) of “The Last of Us” will be central to the narrative. This story, which picks up years after the original game, explores the outcomes of choices made by characters Joel and Ellie in the initial chapter. While the second season’s release date has not been announced, it is most likely to be launched in 2025. Show creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann have mentioned plans to continue the series beyond the second season.