Isabela Merced, who portrays Dina in The Last of Us Season 2, recently shared insights on the thoughtful approach behind the romantic scenes between Dina and Ellie (played by Bella Ramsey). She highlighted the importance of making their intimate moments feel authentic and grounded in mutual consent.
Merced praised the work of intimacy coordinator Kathy Kadler and director Kate Herron, who carefully choreographed the episode 4 sex scene to emphasize vulnerability, trust, and balanced agency between the characters. Having worked together for over half the season, Merced said she and Ramsey were already comfortable, which helped the process run smoothly.
She explained that the scene was crafted to clearly show both Dina and Ellie had equal say in moving their relationship forward. “I think it’s showing they both have agency in this decision to take it to the next step. And I think it was beautiful,” Merced reflected, calling the creative choices “really wise.”
Looking ahead, Merced dropped some tantalizing hints about Season 3. She expects that the upcoming season will put both Dina and Ellie through intense emotional challenges, potentially changing their dynamic significantly—a prospect she finds exciting as an actor. Although she hasn’t received detailed spoilers, Merced has shared her own ideas about how their relationship might evolve.
She joked about the challenge of acting distant from Bella Ramsey if their characters grow apart: “It’s going to be weird acting like I don’t like Bella. It’s going to be hard because I have such a sweet spot for them now.” Merced also noted that showrunner Craig Mazin himself might not yet have the full picture of what’s to come.
Production on The Last of Us Season 3 is anticipated to begin in 2026. Merced is especially looking forward to episode 7, which she teased as a pivotal moment for Dina and Ellie’s relationship.
