The Last Of Us Fans Urge Kaitlyn Dever To Delete Social Media For A Good Reason
It would be amazing to live in a world where actors didn't have to worry about deranged "fans sending them death threats over what projects they choose to be a part of. Unfortunately, we live in this world — one strangled by digital anonymity and online hate campaigns. "The Last of Us" has been a massive success at HBO so far, earning critical praise for its writing, direction, and the stars who bring it to life. Unfortunately for Kaitlyn Dever, who's just been officially cast as Abby for "The Last of Us" Season 2, her experience might be a bit different.
If you know anything about the "Last of Us" video games, you'll know that Abby is a controversial character, to put it mildly. As such, many fans are already warning Dever of what could be in store. Gizmodo deputy editor James Whitbrook shared a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, announcing Dever's casting. He added in his own caption, "I wish Kaitlyn Dever a merry never looking at social media ever again." Many others shared similar sentiments on the platform, celebrating the casting choice and praising Dever's talents, but writing dark warnings about the kind of backlash she may experience due to the show. "Kaitlyn Dever is an incredible actress, loved her in BOOKSMART and JUSTIFIED! I do hope though Kaitlyn steps away from social media during the show's run lol," X user @Robert237o wrote.
Hopefully, all of this caution will prove to be unnecessary. But given what happened to the last actor who played Abby, the warnings may sadly be justified.
Laura Bailey received death threats for playing Abby in The Last of Us Part II
"The Last of Us Part II" is one of the most polarizing video games of all time. Loved by critics and many players but fiercely loathed but a vocal faction, the game caused something of an Internet firestorm when it was released in 2020. Abby was at the center of that firestorm, as the character's role in the story — not detailed here to save show-watchers spoilers of what will likely happen in Season 2 — was viewed by some as a slap in the face to what they liked about the first game. In reality, Abby's role is pivotal to the larger thematic story "The Last of Us" tries to tell, but trolls aren't exactly stars of media literacy.
Noted voice actor and Critical Role cast member Laura Bailey played Abby in the game, providing both her voice and performance capture. For her contributions, she received numerous death threats in online messages directed at both her and her family. Fortunately, other members of the gaming community came out and rallied around Bailey during the backlash. It's not unreasonable to think that the same people might direct similar attacks at Dever when "The Last of Us" Season 2 comes out.
Dever has at least one thing that Bailey didn't, though: someone who's done this before in her corner. "Huge congrats, Kaitlyn! So excited to see Abby's evolution in your performance," Bailey wrote in an X post celebrating Dever's casting. "Let me know if you want a workout buddy."
The Last of Us Season 2 has a lot of question marks
Though there's never any excuse for the kind of attacks that Laura Bailey faced, it's undeniable that part of the massive backlash against "The Last of Us Part II" was due to how shocking certain story twists were at the time. If there's one thing "Star Wars: Episode VIII — The Last Jedi" has taught us, it's that some fans will always be angry when you intentionally subvert expectations with a beloved franchise.
Years have passed since "Part II" came out, which should make its darker moments at least somewhat easier to swallow. Plus, TV audiences aren't typically as enraged online as their gaming counterparts. Even if Abby's more villainous qualities don't cause backlash this time, though, "The Last of Us" Season 2 could still be a challenge to make. The second game is far messier and less straightforward than the first, and it could be similarly polarizing.
There's also the discourse over "Part II" and its connections to the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict, which South Africa recently put forward as an act of genocide during hearings at the United Nations' International Court of Justice. "The Last of Us" creator and series producer Neil Druckmann grew up in Israel, and some critics accused "Part II" in 2020 of perpetuating a problematic view of the state's military occupation of Palestinian territory. Druckmann himself has said that his understanding of the conflict informed the story of the games. It remains to be seen how "The Last of Us" Season 2 deals with these larger political themes.