Kaitlyn Dever’s Heartbreaking Journey

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Kaitlyn Dever faced significant challenges during filming as she portrayed Abby, a character who brutally kills beloved character Joel (played by Pedro Pascal). However, her role proved more challenging than anticipated following the passing of her on-screen mother in real life.

In the year prior to filming Season 2 of the critically-acclaimed zombie series, Dever tragically lost her mother. Her beloved mother, Kathy, had bravely battled cancer for 14 years before succumbing in 2024. This was a particularly challenging period for Dever as she was portraying a character who was also mourning the loss of a parent.

In an open and straightforward manner, she disclosed that the events preceding the scene were particularly challenging for her. “Truth be told… The days leading to this scene were simply dreadful” she confided. “I had lost my mother a couple of weeks before filming even began, and her funeral was three days before my first day on set. This meant that I was rather disoriented and in a state of shock.

Fortunately, everyone involved in the production – cast members, crew, and creators alike – were present to ensure she felt comforted. Co-creator Craig Mazin recounted their words to Dever, saying “We told her, ‘Take your time, take as much time as you need“. Mazin emphasized that while the show is important to him, it’s just a TV series. He clarified, “I won’t rush someone’s mourning for their parent, especially since this show revolves around grieving“.

Due to personal reasons, I found it difficult to perform as usual during filming. It was intriguing since I had some concerns about it. “Normally when I have a monologue like that, I memorize it three weeks in advance,” she explained. “But this time, I took a different approach which, I believe, greatly benefited the character. In a way, I could just let go and not overthink because the lines on the script were already so powerful.

In the first season of The Last of Us, Joel grew incredibly close to Ellie, forming a surrogate father-daughter bond. For the second season, we’ll follow Ellie as she embarks on a relentless mission for vengeance following Joel’s demise. Upon hearing that her character would have to deal with this tragic event, Bella Ramsey was visibly upset. She shared with her co-stars, “I couldn’t help but feel deeply moved while watching your interactions in Season 1. It was incredibly difficult for me as a viewer, knowing what was about to happen to your characters.

Pascal harbors absolutely no grudge against Dever for eliminating his character. On the contrary, he’s brimming with admiration for her. In fact, his enthusiasm is evident as he’s witnessed it in every action she takes.

New episodes of The Last of Us Season 2 air Sundays on HBO and Max.

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2025-04-21 19:05