As The Last of Us Season 2 continues to unravel its post-apocalyptic drama, one storyline is stealing hearts—and it’s not just about survival. Episode 4, titled “Day One,” gives us one of the show’s most touching moments: the deepening bond between Ellie (Bella Ramsey) and Dina (Isabela Merced). Their romance, subtle and simmering until now, finally blossoms in a scene that feels both raw and tender. And according to Merced, that vulnerability was no accident.
Merced, already familiar with the game’s second installment, knew who Dina was. But she didn’t realize how much this role would stretch her emotionally and professionally. When the show’s creators, Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann, cast her as Ellie’s love interest, it clicked: this wasn’t just a side role—it was central to Ellie’s entire emotional journey.
“I honestly didn’t think Dina was going to be this big a deal,” Merced admits. But as filming progressed, she saw how Dina’s calm, grounded energy becomes a much-needed anchor for Ellie, especially as Ellie spirals into rage and revenge. “She’s like Ellie’s reset button,” Merced explains. “She lets her feel something soft again.”
One of the biggest challenges? Building believable chemistry with Bella Ramsey—fast. With both actors juggling packed schedules, they barely had time to rehearse. But Merced says from their very first scene together (yes, the one where Dina teases Ellie about her shoes), the connection was natural. “Something just clicked,” she says.
That spark reaches a tender high point in Episode 4, where Ellie and Dina finally confess their feelings and share an intimate scene. Merced worked closely with the show’s intimacy coordinator to make sure it felt real—not like a performance, but a genuine expression of love, fear, and connection. “It had to feel honest,” she says. “Queer love deserves that.”
And while the romance shines, The Last of Us doesn’t let viewers forget the dangerous world these characters live in. The same episode throws Ellie and Dina into a brutal encounter in a subway tunnel, hunted by Wolves and surrounded by infected. The scenes were so intense, Merced says they created a silent sign language system on set just to check in with each other between takes. “The set smelled like actual manure,” she laughs. “It was physically disgusting and emotionally draining—but also, kind of beautiful.”
One moment that stuck with her? Ellie’s heartbreaking performance of “Take On Me.” Fans of the game will recognize it, but for Merced, it was a deeper emotional note. “It wasn’t just Dina falling harder for Ellie—it was Dina grieving Joel, too,” she says.
Beyond the action and heartbreak, Merced believes it’s the quiet, emotional beats that will resonate with fans the longest. “Love is scary,” she says. “Especially when you don’t know if you’ll live to see tomorrow. But that’s what I tried to show with Dina—she’s strong, but she’s scared too.”
As a queer actor herself, this role meant even more to Merced. She’s spoken openly about people not always taking her queerness seriously, and playing Dina felt deeply validating. “This wasn’t just representation,” she says. “It was about showing love that’s real, flawed, and powerful—no matter the world falling apart around it.”
With The Last of Us placing Ellie and Dina’s relationship front and center, Isabela Merced hopes audiences walk away with more than just thrills. She hopes they see themselves—and the reminder that even in the darkest times, love still finds a way.
