Kaitlyn Dever Opens Up About Playing a Traumatized Character After Her Mother’s Death

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Summary

  • Kaitlyn Dever portrayed Abby emotionally despite personal hardships after her mother’s passing.
  • Showrunner Craig Mazin empathized with Dever’s grief, prioritizing her self-care during filming.
  • The Last of Us creators stood by Joel’s tragic death in Season 2, true to the game’s narrative.

Spoilers for The Last of Us season 2, episode 2

As a devoted cinema enthusiast, eagerly anticipating the second season of “The Last of Us,” I was on tenterhooks for the episode titled ‘Through the Valley.’ This installment promised to depict Joel’s fate, and it lived up to its reputation, delivering an emotionally charged scene that left me reeling, much like Naughty Dog did in their sequel. The raw agony in Joel’s cries and Abby’s fury came together to create a truly heart-wrenching moment. For those who hadn’t played “The Last of Us Part 2,” the scene was undeniably shocking, causing them to grip their seats tightly. However, for those who had experienced the game, it felt like a painful reminder of a past trauma.

Despite Kaitlyn Dever delivering an impressive portrayal as Abby Anderson, a former firefly seeking revenge on Joel for the murder of her father, there was a raw authenticity to it that felt uncomfortably personal for Dever. In the second episode of the new season of The Last of Us, starring Pedro Pascal as Joel and Bella Ramsey as Ellie, viewers were left in no doubt about the show’s intensity. Not only did they witness the destruction of Jackson at the hands of a massive horde of infected, reminiscent of a scene from Game of Thrones, but they also saw Joel momentarily lowering his defenses to aid the person who would ultimately take his life and bring pain to Tommy, Dina, and especially Ellie. Much like other actors, Dever managed to separate her personal life from her enthusiasm for the role she was playing, but now that we know about her own heartache, episode 2 resonates even more deeply.

Kaitlyn Dever Filmed Tragic Last of Us Season 2 Joel Scene Days After Her Mother’s Passing

In a conversation with Entertainment Weekly, Kaitlyn Dever shared her emotional experience while filming episode 2 of The Last of Us‘s second season, where she had to portray Abby viciously attacking Joel with a golf club and then using her bare hands. According to Dever, that time was particularly challenging for her because her mother had recently passed away from breast cancer, and she attended her funeral just three days before she began acting as the vengeful and angry Abby. “To be completely candid,” Dever said, “I’ll simply state that the days leading up to this scene were awful.” She added, “I lost my mom two or three weeks prior to shooting this scene, and her funeral was on the third day before I started filming.

The situation was intensely emotional and complex, with numerous elements requiring careful coordination. Navigating through all the interconnected pieces was quite challenging.

Craig Mazin, both showrunner and writer, expressed his admiration for Dever’s commitment to her character Abby, particularly during the filming of the emotionally charged scene with Joel. Mazin emphasized the importance of patience and self-care, telling Dever to take as much time as she needed during her grieving process, acknowledging that while he values the show deeply, it is not worth disrupting someone’s personal grief, especially for a series that explores the theme of grieving.

As a cinema enthusiast, I took a unique perspective when portraying that character, which I believe greatly enriched its development. Somehow, I managed to immerse myself deeply without overthinking, as the script’s potent words spoke for themselves.

Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin were firmly convinced that they would include Joel’s death in Season 2, despite the massive fanbase of Pedro Pascal. They were prepared to confront the backlash from some fans to remain faithful to the sequel. Although it was heart-wrenching, many viewers and fans of The Last of Us admire this commitment. In fact, just like some players in the game did, some might even reconsider their feelings about Joel’s fate and Abby’s genuine motivations.

The Last of Us Season 2 streams on Max, with new episodes dropping every Sunday.

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2025-04-23 17:55