Isabel Merced has spoken about the safety measures that Kaitlyn Dever took on the set of The Last of Us.

In 2023, HBO’s adaptation of the popular video game series took the world by storm, becoming an instant hit with television audiences thanks to its outstanding storytelling and stunning performances from Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey.

Given the widespread acclaim – the series achieved a 97% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes – the broadcaster gave the green light for a second season weeks before the finale.

Last year, new information about the upcoming season was released, which was aimed at the The Last of Us Part II Video game – has been slowly revealed, including casting announcements such as Booksmart Star Dever stars as Abby Anderson.

“Our casting process for season two was identical to that for season one: we are looking for world-class actors who embody the souls of the characters in the source material,” co-creators, writers, executive producers and directors Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann said in a press release in January.

“Nothing is more important than talent and we are thrilled to have an acclaimed artist like Kaitlyn join Pedro, Bella and the rest of our family.”

When The Last of Us Part II When it was released in 2020, Abby caused quite a stir due to a shocking and controversial plot.

Some players within the The fanbase used the plot point to spread harmful anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric about the character and her appearance.

In a recent interview with Josh Horowitz Happy, sad, confused podcastFellow newcomer Merced – who is set to play the role of Dina – spoke about the ridiculous criticism and the precautions the show took to protect Dever from the hateful “fans.”

“There are so many weird people in this world because there are people who really, truly hate Abby, even though she’s not a real person, she’s just a memory of her,” she said.

“And that’s why Kaitlyn had to have additional security protection during filming.”

Merced then praised Dever for handling the intense fan base with grace before praising her work on the upcoming season.

“Kaitlyn is such a cool person who doesn’t let anything get her down. She really has her head in the right place and is going through a lot personally right now,” she continued.

“It’s devastating to see this, but give her the damn Emmy, honestly. I’m so excited for people to see how amazingly well Bella and Kaitlyn did. I’m so excited.”

In addition to Dever and Merced, The Last of Us The second season will feature many new faces, including Schitt’s Creek star Catherine O’Hara and beef Actor Young Mazino.

The premiere of the new episodes is planned for 2025.