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Kaitlyn Dever Openly Shares Her Emotional Struggle During The Last Of Us Season 2’s Shocking Scene

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Beware: Severe spoilers for The Last of Us season 2, episode 2 lie ahead. In this latest season, Abby, portrayed by Kaitlyn Dever, grapples with the reasons behind her emotional performance in episode 2. Set five years after the previous season’s conclusion, the new season follows Abby as she leads the remaining Fireflies on their quest to find Joel (Pedro Pascal). In The Last of Us season 2 episode 2, Abby encounters Joel and, in a poignant scene, ends his life while Ellie (Bella Ramsey) looks on.

During an interview with Entertainment Weekly, the cast of The Last of Us and co-showrunner Craig Mazin discussed the impactful moment when Abby kills Joel in season 2. Dever found it especially challenging to watch the end of Ellie and Joel’s relationship. Interestingly, the first scene she and Pascal filmed was the one depicting Joel’s death. Here are their thoughts on the topic:

This version maintains the original meaning while using more natural and conversational language.

You: In the first season, I found your relationship to be incredibly heartwarming. And let me tell you, as a spectator, it wasn’t easy to see how things ended between you two.

I was aware that Dever had been chosen for the role, but she didn’t realize that I was also aware. She’s quite a formidable actor, and I’ve witnessed her talent in every project she’s worked on.

Bob: The emotional impact and the staging were both immense, given the numerous elements and complexities involved.

In her own words, the actress shared that the making of this specific movie was exceptionally challenging for her due to a deeply personal issue. Tragically, she had lost her mother to cancer just weeks prior to shooting the scene, and the funeral took place just a few days before the start of production. As you might imagine, this disrupted her usual routine significantly. However, the team behind “The Last of Us” showed great understanding and sensitivity towards her situation by rescheduling the filming for a later date and ensuring that only essential personnel were present on set. You can read their heartfelt comments below.

In the interest of transparency: I want to share that the days preceding this scene were extremely difficult for me. I lost my mother around two or three weeks prior, and her funeral took place just three days before I filmed my first day on The Last of Us. As a result, I was somewhat detached and disoriented. I was in a state of bewilderment.

Mazin: We told them, “Feel free to take as much time as you require.” Although I value the show immensely, it’s still a TV production. I wouldn’t dream of interfering with someone’s personal grieving period, especially since the series itself deals with grief. [Dever’s demands] were minimal and straightforward to fulfill, so we proceeded without delay.

Deaver: What I craved was donut holes and lots of coffee. Given my current situation, I couldn’t perform my usual actor duties as planned, which surprisingly turned out to be a relief since I had been somewhat concerned about it. Normally, when I have such a monologue, I memorize it three weeks in advance. This time, however, I took a different approach and I believe it benefited the character significantly. It allowed me to just let go and not overthink because the words on the script were potent enough already.

What This Means For The Last Of Us Season 2’s Shocking Moment

Kaitlyn Dever Channeled Her Own Grief Into The Heartbreaking Scene

In the Last of Us series, there are several differences in how Joel dies compared to the game, yet what remains constant is Abby’s relentless resolve to kill him gradually. To convincingly portray such a scene, actress Bella Deverech would have needed to delve deeply into intense emotional territory, an experience likely intensified by her personal grief. It’s her powerful acting that significantly contributes to the impact of this emotionally charged scene. The camera frequently focuses on her, thereby enabling viewers to appreciate every subtle detail of Deverech’s performance.

In contrast to the rest of her group, Abby sought vengeance as Joel had killed her father, an unarmed surgeon who was about to operate on Ellie. Her sorrow pushed her over the edge, resulting in her going too far by tormenting and ultimately killing Joel with Ellie witnessing it. Despite being portrayed as a villain in Ellie’s narrative, the scene showcased Abby’s struggle to cope with her grief, and Dever, who was dealing with personal loss during filming, was able to bring some of those feelings into the performance.

Our Take On Joel’s Death Scene In The Last Of Us

The Key Moment Sets Ellie On A Path

In episode 2 of The Last of Us season 2, a pivotal scene between Joel and Abby towards the end significantly shapes the series as a whole. This encounter propels Ellie on a destructive journey of vengeance, mirroring Abby’s own quest sparked by her father’s demise. Instead of healing, it triggers a wave of further pain and distress. As showrunner Neil Druckmann highlighted, The Last of Us is deeply rooted in the theme of grief, exploring how individuals behave in a world where death is the only certainty.

In episode 1 of The Last of Us season 2, Ellie found a semblance of security in her life. However, the demise of Joel shattered that sense of safety. It’s almost unbelievable that Joel is truly gone, despite knowing this tragic event was inevitable. Just like the audience, Ellie held on to the hope that Joel would rise until Abby delivered the fatal blow. Even in that moment, it was difficult to comprehend what had transpired. While it’s challenging to empathize with Abby, her actions mirror what Joel and Ellie would have done if their roles were reversed.

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2025-04-22 03:58

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