In a move that shows HBO has learned about the toxicity of fandom, the company is preparing for possible backlash from the upcoming season. The Last of Us.
after that announcement Kaitlyn Dever will be playing the notoriously hated character Abby in the game’s sequel. The Last of Us Part IIFor the hit series’ second season, HBO and Max have proactively deployed extra security to protect the actress from fans who may not be able to distinguish fact from fiction.
Isabella Merced (Alien: Romulus)In season 2, she was cast as Ellie’s (Bella Ramsey) girlfriend Dina, Happy Sad Confused On the podcast, she said, “There’s a lot of weird people out there, because there are people who really, really hate Abby. Abby is not a real person. Just to be clear, Abby is not a real person. So Caitlyn had to have extra security guards on this shoot.”
when The Last of Us Part II With the release of Abby in June 2020, gamers criticized the new playable character, Abby, a soldier who seeks revenge against Joel and becomes an enemy of Ellie over the death of her father. Online misogynists began attacking the character’s appearance, claiming they can’t stand muscular women, with some even criticizing her for being too muscular. Infer that the character is transgender (She isn’t). The Last of Us Developer Naughty Dog and Abby’s voice actress, Laura Bailey, have received harassment and death threats over the game.
“What puzzles me is the showrunner [Craig Mazin] Video game creators [Neil Druckmann]”They’re making this together, so if you like what they’ve made and you’re making more, why be upset?,” Merced said on the podcast. “I’m too opinionated for Twitter. When I see stuff like this on Twitter, it makes me wanna be like Cardi B.”
Dever has not commented on the series, but Merced said her co-star is unfazed by it, and praised her for her Emmy-worthy performance. “It’s shocking to watch, but I’d give her an Emmy!” Merced declared. “Honestly, I’m so excited for people to see how amazing Bella and Kaitlyn are on this show. I’m so excited.”
A second season consisting of seven episodes The Last of Us Debuting on HBO in 2025.
Want more news from io9? Check out everything you need to know about when the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases are due, what’s next for the DC Universe in movies and TV, and the future of Doctor Who.
