We've known for some time now that The Last of Us season 2 will adapt the events of The Last of Us Part II video game, likely across multiple seasons.
That makes sense given the ambitious scope of the video game sequel, and all eyes are now on who HBO casts as Abigail "Abby" Anderson. The character remains both a fan-favourite and incredibly controversial (depending on who you ask) but the role will require a strong actress capable of exploring Abby's complexities in a story arc which will see her go from antagonist to protagonist.
Abby is the playable dual protagonist of The Last of Us Part II. A member of the Fireflies broken by tragedy when Joel Miller killed her father, Jerry Anderson, Abby then makes it her mission to avenge his demise.
Talking to The Hollywood Reporter, The Last of Us co-creator and showrunner Craig Mazin was asked if Abby has been cast yet. "Maybe," he responded with a laugh.
When the interview pointed out he'd turned red, Mazin added: "The strike stopped us in our tracks. Things were in process. Look, Abby was the first role that we wanted to tackle."
"We’ve got a pretty good track record of making major cast announcements and people going, 'Really?' which will probably continue. So people may disagree, but I think we got it right so far and the audience seems to feel we got it right and the Academy seems to feel we got it right."
Since then, a reliable online scooper has strongly hinted that Shannon Berry will play Abby.
A relative newcomer, she's appeared in TV shows like Hunters, Offspring, and The Wilds. Berry definitely looks the part and while this casting has yet to be confirmed (and likely won't be until the SAG-AFTRA strike ends), we'll be sure to keep you updated.