The Last of Us Star Reveals Who Their Biggest Inspiration Was for Season 2

The Last of Us season two is shaping up to become intriguing viewing when it lands on HBO next year, with many of its cast members returning for more of the show's post-apocalyptic horror. One new member of the show, Isabela Merced, who will be portraying Dina, has revealed that a certain fellow actor from the show was their inspiration going into The Last of Us season two. From HBO's The Last of Us' most recent trailer, it's clear to see that season two won't hold back when it comes to how it will tackle the emotional undercurrent adapted from Naughty Dog's game of the same name. Showcasing a distraught Ellie, a remorseful Joel, and an angry Abby, the show's continuation into its complex narrative looks set to please Part two's gaming audience.

Season two of The Last of Us will continue Joel and Ellie's adventure, set five years after the events of the first season and adapting the story from The Last of Us Part 2. If season one of The Last of Us could be seen as a tale of love and hope, season two aims to turn that narrative on its head if it follows Part two's blueprint by heading down a much more devastating and heartbreaking route. Thankfully, there still seems to be areas of light and love as Ellie, and viewers, finally get to meet Dina, who plays a huge part in Ellie's life throughout the second season.

The Last of Us Star Is a Big Inspiration for Isabela Merced

In a video posted on YouTube, which recorded Isabela Merced's Alien: Romulus Q&A, the interviewer asked Merced if she had any advice on what keeps her grounded. Merced replied saying that she loves to document everything and states how valuable memories are, which led to how she keeps a journal while on set of The Last of Us and how most of them are dedicated to Bella Ramsey, who plays Ellie in The Last of Us. Merced continues to gush about Ramsey and how much she was an inspiration for her while taking part in The Last of Us season two, even though Ramsey is quite a bit younger than Merced.

Merced also said that she was excited about stepping inside the shoes of Dina in The Last of Us season two, due to how much care and attention to detail showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann enveloped into its production. Being a fan of the Naughty Dog game, Merced said that she "freaked out every day" because of how real everything felt to her and how much of the game could be seen, even within its smallest areas.

As well as new cast members, which include Catherine O'Hara as a mystery figure, Kaitlyn Dever as Abby, and Jeffrey Wright as Isaac, The Last of Us season two will showcase more types of infected this time around. Even though viewers got a glimpse of that terrifying Bloater infected in the first season of the HBO show, it's expected that runners, stalkers and shamblers will be making their presence known too.