Kaitlyn Deaver as Abby in ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2 | HBO
The following contains spoilers for Season 2 of The Last of Us.
Kaitlyn Deaver is already in full-on “brace yourself” mode as she prepares to return to The Last of Us ahead of filming Season 3. The actor said he’s preparing both mentally and physically for what’s to come and a season in which Abby is expected to take up more space.
This is also a clue as to how the tone of season 3 is changing. Bigger, heavier, and a far step ahead of the Abbey in terms of design. While Season 2 ended by moving the story to Seattle and rewinding time to reframe the events, it looks like the next chapter will delve deeper into Abby’s perspective rather than diving headlong into the immediate consequences of the confrontation in the theater.
Deadline spoke with Deaver this week, and she said she is “preparing mentally and physically right now,” adding, “I’m actually going to be there in a few days and start preparing. I’m really excited to have a bigger role in the season.”
Where we left off after the season 2 finale
Season 2 did not reassure viewers. Abby confronts Ellie at the Seattle theater base, kills Jesse, and forces Tommy at gunpoint to force Ellie out of her hiding place, but the screen fades to black without revealing what happens next.
And the final moment jumps to Abby at the WLF’s stadium base as the words “Seattle Day 1” appear on screen. This signals that the story is going to rewind and relive those days from Abby’s perspective, mirroring the structure of The Last of Us Part II.
It’s a change that Deaver is openly excited about. “I think the fans are really going to love it,” she told Deadline. “I think it changes the perspective on Abby and adds more context to her storyline that we can take back to this season. So I’m really excited for fans to see that.”
Also check out: ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2 Exclusive Interview: Gabriel Luna, Isabella Merced, Young Maginot
Deaver filmed season 2 while grieving
If the phrase “I was mentally and physically ready” carries extra weight, it’s because Deaver has already opened up about how grueling filming Season 2 was. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, she revealed that she began filming Abby just three days after her mother’s funeral. Her first major sequence was Abby killing Joel, Pedro Pascal’s character who had previously anchored the series alongside Ellie.
“That was just a huge scene emotionally and blocking-wise,” Deaver said. “There were a lot of emotional parts and a lot of things to overcome…To be as honest as I can, the days leading up to this scene were horrible.” She also explained, “My mom’s funeral was three days before my first day. So I was kind of in a fog. I was in a daze.”
Deaver’s mother battled metastatic breast cancer for 14 years and passed away in February 2024, just weeks before production on Deaver was scheduled to begin. Series co-creator Craig Mazin said the team adjusted her schedule to prioritize her health. “Take your time. Take all the time you need,” Muzzin said. “I have special concerns about this show, but this is a television show, and I don’t want to disrupt someone’s process of grieving their parent, especially a show that deals in part with the grieving process.”
Deaver added that the situation changed her usual approach as an actor, which ultimately helped her character. “Because of my living situation, I haven’t been able to really have a normal day-to-day life as an actor,” she said. “I took a different approach, and I think that really helped this character in a lot of ways.”
Also check out: Jeffrey Wright talks ‘The Last of Us’ season 2, reimagining Isaac, and the power of storytelling — exclusive interview
Behind-the-scenes changes in Season 3
Season 3 also arrives with some creative changes. Series and game co-creator Neil Druckmann has stepped back from writing and directing duties, but remains involved as co-creator and executive producer, while Harry Gross has stepped back from day-to-day responsibilities for the series.
There were recent reports that Manny would be recast after Danny Ramirez left the show due to scheduling issues, but a replacement has not yet been announced.
HBO has not announced whether season 3 will be the final chapter. What is clear is the direction of travel. Abby’s story is about to take up more space, the timeline is automatically folding back, and Deaver is gearing up for a season that sounds just as grim as ever.
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