The executive producer of The Last of Us has spoken out about the rumours surrounding the casting of Abby in season 2 of the HBO show.
Development on The Last of Us Season 2 has been moving steadily ahead, with reports suggesting filming may begin in early 2024. However, the writer's strike may have delayed things.
That hasn't stopped the rumor mill from running rampant over where things may go in Season 2 of the hit show, as it moves into the controversial storyline of Naughty Dog's The Last of Us Part II.
Showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann have made it clear they plan to adapt the events of the second game, meaning a number of new characters, including major new lead Abby, will be coming to the screen in The Last of Us Season 2.
Has Abby Been Cast in The Last of Us Season 2?
Appearing on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, The Last of Us showrunner Craig Mazin addressed some questions about Abby in Season 2 of the show.
Rumors have been circulating for some time that actors like Shannon Berry or Katy O'Brian may be in contention to play Abby in the new season of The Last of Us.
When asked whether these rumors had any truth to them, Mazin confirmed that "no one has been cast" as Abby yet:
"No. No one has been cast."
Elsewhere in the episode, Mazin dispelled theories that Abby had already made an appearance in the Season 1 finale of The Last of Us. Many fans thought that the silhouette of a Firefly with a braid in the hospital sequence was a cameo by the major character, but Mazin confirmed "that was not Abby:"
"I can confirm that she was not. That was just one of the Fireflies that happened to have a ponytail. A lot of people have ponytails, so that was not Abby."
Who Will Play Abby in Season 2?
The casting of Abby is one of the most heated debates heading into Season 2 of The Last of Us.
The character, who Laura Bailey played in the video game, rivals Ellie in terms of screen time and narrative importance in The Last of Us Part II, so it's no surprise that many eyes are on her casting.
Prior to the writer's strike, it was reported that HBO's casting team was preparing to audition actors using scripts from the second video game. Still, it's unclear whether any stars actually read for the part.
The casting on The Last of Us TV series has been spot-on so far, with Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal winning over audiences with their portrayals of such iconic characters.
Fans of the games have many ideas about who they would like to see play Abby, but, until an official casting announcement is made, it's anyone's game.
Season 1 of The Last of Us is streaming now on Max.
