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Kaitlyn Dever’s debut on The Last of Us came under heart-wrenching circumstances that few could imagine. In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, the Emmy-nominated actress shared the deeply personal challenge she faced while filming her first major scene for Season 2 — the brutal killing of Pedro Pascal’s character, Joel, at the hands of her character, Abby. The scene was shot just three days after Dever’s mother passed away, making it an emotionally overwhelming experience for the actress.
Dever’s mother had been battling metastatic breast cancer for 14 years, and her death in February 2024 occurred just weeks before production on the series began. The grief she was experiencing when she stepped on set was still fresh, with the funeral taking place just days before she had to perform the intense scene. In the interview, Dever revealed, “I lost my mom two or three weeks before I actually shot this scene… My mom’s funeral was three days before I did my first day. So I was sort of in a fog. I was in a daze.”
Acknowledging the emotional weight of the moment, Dever explained how the enormity of the scene — both emotionally and in terms of its physical blocking — made it particularly challenging. “It was just a massive scene emotionally, and with blocking, too,” she recalled. “It was chaotic and overwhelming.” Thankfully, the creators of The Last of Us were quick to support her through this difficult time. The production team adjusted the shooting schedule to ensure that her first scenes didn’t require her immediate involvement, allowing her time to process and decide when she was emotionally ready to begin filming. Co-creator Craig Mazin was particularly understanding, telling Dever, “Take your time. Take all the time you need. While I care extraordinarily about the show, it’s a TV show. I’m not going to disrupt someone’s grieving process.”
The scene that Dever filmed, which mirrors a pivotal moment from The Last of Us Part II video game, is one of the most intense and violent in the series: Abby’s brutal torture and killing of Joel. To help Dever with the emotional weight of the scene, the production set was closed to limit personnel, providing her with the space and privacy she needed. Dever was unable to follow her usual acting preparation routine, but she found that this actually helped her performance. “I wasn’t actually able to do my normal routine… but I think that really served the character. I just really let it go and didn’t overthink it,” she said.
Despite the immense emotional toll, Dever’s portrayal of Abby has already resonated deeply with fans for its raw authenticity. Pedro Pascal, who plays Joel, reflected on the irony of how a moment of such tragedy and violence between characters could help form a strong bond between the actors. “It’s ironic that something so violent and tragic between characters can immediately bond you to the actor,” he said, acknowledging the power of Dever’s performance.
Ultimately, Abby’s introduction in The Last of Us not only marks one of the series’ most unforgettable moments but also highlights Dever’s remarkable strength and resilience as an actress, navigating the depths of grief with grace and professionalism — both on-screen and off.