Laura Bailey, the original voice actress for Abby in The Last of Us Part 2, has expressed her admiration for Kaitlyn Dever`s portrayal of the character in HBO`s upcoming second season. Bailey, whose 2020 performance as Abby was met with mixed fan reactions, appears to be one of Dever`s biggest supporters.
“She`s just phenomenal, every moment that I saw that she was in,” Bailey told EW. “I just loved how much she brought to the character and made it her own. It`s kind of like watching your child get up and start walking for the first time. Once you put it out there, it`s somebody else`s and she`s just embraced it.”
Despite being a series regular, Dever received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actress. Season 3, mirroring the game`s narrative structure, is expected to heavily feature Abby`s storyline, expanding Dever`s role significantly.
Bailey herself made a cameo in the first season finale, appearing as one of the doctors killed by Joel (Pedro Pascal). When pressed about a potential return in Season 3, she remained tight-lipped, stating only, “I`m not saying anything.”
In related news, Neil Druckmann, co-creator and former co-showrunner of The Last of Us series, has recently stepped down. Craig Mazin will now serve as the sole showrunner for Season 3, which HBO anticipates releasing in 2027.