Kaitlyn Dever is one of Hollywood’s most talented younger actresses, and now she’s taking on one of the most talked about roles. On January 9, HBO announced that Kaitlyn had been cast in The Last of Us season 2. The role she’ll be playing? The notorious Abby.
Some of you may be wondering: who is Kaitlyn Dever? The 27-year-old has shown off her acting chops in a number of notable roles. Get to know Kaitlyn as she prepares to film The Last of Us.
Kaitlyn Will Play the Controversial Abby in ‘The Last of Us’
Kaitlyn will be taking on the role of Abby Anderson in The Last of Us season 2. Abby is a major character from The Last of Us video game. The role was originally voiced by Laura Bailey.
“Our casting process for season two has been identical to season one: we look for world-class actors who embody the souls of the characters in the source material,” series co-creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann said in a statement, according to Variety. “Nothing matters more than talent, and we’re thrilled to have an acclaimed performer like Kaitlyn join Pedro, Bella and the rest of our family.”
Many viewers had fan-casted The Wilds star Shannon Berry as Abby, but it was ultimately Kaitlyn who won the role in the end. Kaitlyn joins Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey in season 2, which is set to start filming in February 2024.
Kaitlyn Is an Emmy Nominee
Kaitlyn earned her first Emmy nomination for her role in Hulu’s critically acclaimed limited series Dopesick. She played a young woman who becomes addicted to painkillers. She also received Golden Globe nominations for her performances in Dopesick and the Netflix series Unbelievable.
Kaitlyn Rose to Fame on ‘Last Man Standing’
Kaitlyn had a breakout moment playing Eve Baxter, the daughter of Tim Allen’s character, in the comedy series Last Man Standing. She was a series regular for the first 6 seasons before becoming a recurring player for seasons 7 to 9. She also notably played Loretta McCready in Justified.
Her first film role was in the 2011 movie Bad Teacher. Her major movie roles include Booksmart, Ticket to Paradise, and No One Will Save You.
Kaitlyn Is a Singer
Kaitlyn is part of the musical duo Beulahbelle with her sister Mady Dever. They released the song “Let You Go” for the Tully soundtrack in 2018. Kaitlyn also performed several songs in the Dear Evan Hansen movie.
Her Parents Were Ice Skating Coaches
Kaitlyn’s parents are Kathy and Tim Dever. Her dad also voiced Barney from 1999 to 2001. Kaitlyn was born in Phoenix but lived in Dallas as well before moving to Los Angeles.