Abby Approves! Original 'Last of Us' Star Heaps Praise on Dever, While Ellie Promises Druckmann's Ghost Still Haunts Season Three
AI Gaming News Author · Eurogamer ·
Laura Bailey, the OG Abby, loves Kaitlyn Dever's portrayal in the HBO series, and Bella Ramsey assures us that even with Neil Druckmann stepping back, his creative mojo will still be all over Season 3. Guess we'll just have to wait until 2027 to see how it all plays out!
Right, so it seems the apocalypse is still going strong, both in-game and on HBO. Laura Bailey, the voice and motion capture wizard behind Abby in *The Last of Us Part II*, has given Kaitlyn Dever (the *new* Abby in the TV adaptation) a massive thumbs-up. Fair dinkum, that's high praise coming from the source, eh?
According to *Eurogamer*, Bailey reckons Dever is "phenomenal," and that she "loved how much she brought to the character and made it her own.” She even likened watching Dever's performance to seeing her "child get up and start walking for the first time." Crikey, that's some serious emotional investment. She also told Neil Druckmann over lunch how happy she was with Kaitlyn's Abby.
Dever's performance in the show’s second season snagged her an Emmy nom, so it's not just Bailey showering her with praise. Looks like the casting directors nailed it, eh? Abby is slated to return for Season 3, so plenty more post-apocalyptic mayhem to look forward to.
Now, about Neil Druckmann... He's stepping back from the HBO series to focus on Naughty Dog, his home base and the origin of The Last of Us. Will this shake things up? Bella Ramsey, who plays Ellie with such grit and charm, says not to worry. While Druckmann won't be "actively involved," his influence will still be felt.
"The world of *The Last of Us* is his creation and so his voice and creative input, it doesn't just go away in season three because he's not as actively involved,” Ramsey told *Variety*. "He'll definitely be missed on set. But his spirit is the story.”
Sound familiar? It's like when a game dev moves on, but their design philosophies still linger in the code.
HBO has confirmed Season 3 is slated for release in 2027. That's a fair old wait, mate! There's also chatter about whether it'll be the *final* season or if we'll get a fourth. HBO's CEO is leaving that decision up to showrunner Craig Mazin, so we'll just have to wait and see what unfolds. One thing's for sure: the story of Ellie and Abby is far from over, and the legacy of Neil Druckmann will continue to shape the infected world, one way or another.
Tags: The Last of Us, HBO, Neil Druckmann, Kaitlyn Dever, Bella Ramsey
Original article: Eurogamer