Kaitlyn Dever’s Wild Journey from Almost Ellie to Abby in The Last of Us
Let’s dive into the curious case of Kaitlyn Dever, a young actress whose career path is proving to be as twisty as a plot in a post-apocalyptic video game. Picture this: a decade ago, Dever was on the brink of stardom as she nearly snagged the role of Ellie in a movie adaptation of the iconic game, *The Last of Us*. While the cinematic dreams fizzled out, she didn’t just fade into obscurity—oh no, she was busy making waves in the acting world! Dever reminisced about her thrilling journey with Screen Gems back in 2014, where she participated in table reads and even toured the creative powerhouse Naughty Dog. Imagine meeting Neil Druckmann, the visionary behind the game, and getting the inside scoop on the storyline, all while peeking at art for a sequel that was still in the works. What a scoop, right? Fast-forward to 2015, and plans for the film went up in flames, leaving Dever to pivot towards voicing Cassie Drake in *Uncharted 4*.
But, as fate would have it, HBO swooped in with their ambitious series adaptation in 2023, casting Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey as Joel and Ellie. Dever, now too seasoned to play a teenager, was nevertheless on the radar for a different character—enter Abby, the fierce and pivotal role that would shake up the narrative. Druckmann and his creative partner, Craig Mazin, had their eyes on Dever for this new chapter, and she was ecstatic to step into the shoes of a character so complex and layered. Dever shared her excitement about joining the project, revealing her obsession with the first season and how surreal it felt to circle back to this beloved franchise in such a prominent way.
As she reflects on her winding journey through the world of *The Last of Us*, Dever reminds us of a universal truth: sometimes, the things we desire may not happen when we want them to, but they often come back around when we least expect it. And honestly, isn’t that just the plot twist we all need in our lives?
Sources: Celebrity Storm and Entertainment Weekly, HBO, Dotdash Meredith
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
