Kaitlyn Dever’s career has just turned to the sky after her debut in HBO’s The Last of Us Season 2 on Sunday, April 13. The episode has started a new chapter for the series, introducing a character that has been relatively unknown at this time but whose story is already creating the most heated discussions among the fans.
Dever’s acting has brought the role to life. Through the character of Abby, she has given a human face to a persona that was previously only known for her terrible role in a video game.
Kaitlyn Dever’s Great Moment of Success
Unbeknownst to most, it has been 10 years since The Last of Us franchise was first associated with Kaitlyn Dever. According to some reports, she was talking to the studio about playing Ellie in the film version, a project that was put on the backburner. Finally, she got onto the HBO series—she was not the protagonist because the role was filled with the show’s most complicated characters.
As she opined in various interviews, Dever thought of this opportunity as “destiny.” Her profound knowledge of the game as well as the prevailing voice of Abby served only to improve her already sparking show, and she liked this new way of doing things. The franchise’s huge following is already praising her role.
From Controversy to Growth of the Character
The story of Abby Anderson in the video game has achieved nothing but the creation of a split fan base, the main reason being her actions and driving forces. Producers Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann chose to put a sigh of relief to the potentially terrified audience, by showing Abby’s love-seeking behavior before the traumatic events, and their choice led to the process of her character development.
The first notable difference from the game is the choice of a different representation of Abby to the one with an infamous strong build. The series, however, depicts her emotional path. Creator Druckmann points out that this choice was made deliberately to shift the show’s spotlight onto storytelling excluding the game’s design replication.
Instead of keeping an image that is close to the one from the game’s creators, the actress received a lot of love from the audience for conveying well the feelings of the character even if it meant going against her own wishes to show her body.
Dever’s Career Success Despite the Doom and Gloom
Moreover, the actress-in-demand also played in Netflix’s Apple Cider Vinegar: Belle Gibson the limited series that was part of her recent professional activity. This project started in February 2025. Her role was that of Belle Gibson, a wellness influencer who in real life was falsely diagnosed with cancer. Everyone was amazed at the way the series has tackled the issue of social network deception, with Dever’s imaginative portrayal acting as the icing on the cake.
Furthermore, the artist has been impressing the fashion critics with her stunning looks, she showed up at SXSW 2025 and the 31st Screen Actors Guild Awards. Lastly, she rocked the red carpet with her partner Ethan Dawes at the 2025 Vanity Fair Oscar Party.
Dever’s Heart-to-Heart with Darkness
To the public, the girl has made the darkest corner of her soul brighter by bravingly sharing her heartbreaking tales. At the end of 2024, she talked about how the cancer death of her mother had affected her. Dever not only shared but voiced for prevention of health issues, decided that people have to take preventive care seriously.
Kaitlyn Dever made an absolutely moving video for breast cancer awareness, demonstrating her personal breast cancer screening experience as a way to alert young women that this is important.
Kaitlyn Dever: Upcoming Works and Future Plans?
While watching The Last of Us Season 2, what could we anticipate from Abby’s character? The answer to the question is that we are going to be with Abby in the deepest parts of her soul and also we will be witnessing Kaitlyn Dever’s proficiency as an actress. Her electric and varied performances have led her to become not just an idol to young men and women, but also Hollywood’s most sought-after new star in 2025.
You are welcome to join us this Sunday at 9 p.m. ET on HBO in the first play of The Last of Us series.