The Big Picture
- Kaitlyn Dever needed extra security on set due to backlash surrounding her character Abby in The Last of Us .
- Isabela Merced praised Dever's bravery in taking on the controversial role and emphasized her stellar performance.
- Toxicity directed at Abby following the release of the second game previously led to intense harassment and threats towards voice actress Laura Bailey.
Kaitlyn Dever, who plays Abby in HBO's upcoming second season of The Last of Us, faced additional security measures during filming due to the intense backlash surrounding her character. On a recent episode of the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Isabela Merced, who plays Dina, revealed that HBO increased security for Dever due to concerns over the toxicity directed at Abby. The precaution comes in the wake of the harassment and death threats that voice actress Laura Bailey received after playing Abby in the video game. Merced praised Dever's bravery for taking on such a controversial role, emphasizing her stellar performance. “Give her the damn Emmy, honestly,” Merced exclaimed, expressing excitement for fans to witness Dever's portrayal alongside Bella Ramsey’s Ellie.
Merced explained that, due to the sheer toxicity surrounding the character of Abby Anderson, extra help was required to keep Dever safe from those who perhaps found it hard to separate fiction from reality. She explained:
"There's so many strange people in this world because there are people that actually genuinely hate Abby, who is not a real person. Just a reminder: Not a real person. Kaitlyn had to be extra secured by security when it came to the filming of this."
Why Is Abby Anderson So Controversial in 'The Last of Us'?
Editor's Note: The remainder of this article contains spoilers for 'The Last of Us Part II''.
Abby became one of the most controversial characters in The Last of Us Part II primarily because she kills Joel, a beloved character from the first game, early in the story. Joel's death shocked and angered many fans, as he was the protagonist of the original game and had a deep emotional connection with players. The game then forces players to control Abby for a significant portion of the story, asking them to empathize with her and understand her motivations. The wildly divisive narrative choice, which subverts expectations and challenges players' loyalties, led to an intense backlash. Some fans were unable or unwilling to reconcile with Abby's actions, leading to a division within the fanbase and, unfortunately, to toxic behavior, including harassment and threats directed at those involved with the character's creation, such as voice actress Laura Bailey.
Bailey was targeted with hateful messages, including death threats. This toxic behavior extended beyond criticism of the character and became deeply personal, affecting Bailey and even her family. Despite this, Bailey received widespread support from the gaming community and industry peers, who condemned the harassment. She later expressed gratitude for the positive messages that helped counterbalance the negativity.
Bailey also went on to win the Best Performance award at the 2020 Game Awards. Her performance, despite the controversy, was widely praised for its emotional depth and complexity, and this recognition highlighted the skill and dedication she brought to the role. Her win was seen as a significant achievement, particularly given the intense scrutiny and criticism surrounding the character of Abby.
