Dever will play Abby in season 2, an antagonist in Ellie and Joel's story, while Merced plays Ellie's love interest Dina
Isabela Merced wants fans to remember that The Last of Us is fictional.
The Madame Web star and Kaitlyn Dever are among the newcomers to the cast for season 2 of the hit HBO series, which is based on the video game of the same name. And while it's been smooth sailing for Merced, Dever has faced some challenges during filming.
During an appearance on Josh Horowitz's Happy Sad Confused podcast, Merced said that Dever "had to be extra secured by security when it came to the filming of [season 2]" as a result of fans' perceptions of the character she's portraying.
Dever, 27, is playing Abby, an antagonist in Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie's (Bella Ramsey) story. Meanwhile, Merced, 23, said that there are "so many strange people" who "genuinely hate Abby," despite her being a fictional character. "Just a reminder, [she's] not a real person," Merced said.
HBO declined to provide further comment when reached by PEOPLE.
Related: The Last of Us: Pedro Pascal, Bella Ramsey Are Ready for Their Next Big Adventure in Season 2 First Look
"Katilyn's such a cool person who does not get phased by things, really has her head in the right place, and also is going through a lot right now personally," Merced, who joined the cast as Dina, a love interest for Ramsey's character Ellie, continued, referring to Dever's mother's death in January following a battle with breast cancer.
"It's devastating to see," Merced added. "But also – give her the damn Emmy, honestly. I'm so excited for people to see how incredibly well Bella and Kaitlyn did on this. I'm so excited."
Dever announced that she had joined the series in a post on Instagram in January, as she wrote, "So excited to join the family ❤️."
Merced also talked about how she got the part of Dina on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, as she revealed she didn't screen-test with Ramsey and didn't even formally audition.
Recalling a "generic meeting" with creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann, Merced said, "I guess they decided there and then that they wanted me. So that's wild. I don't even think I believe in myself that much."
Related: The Last of Us Season 2: All About the Highly-Anticipated Video Game Series' Starring Pedro Pascal
As for what she's most excited to see onscreen from her character, she teased "the romance" between her and Ramsey's characters.
"I think it's the romance between the two of us that really... Ugh, it brings a tear to my eye. I have a whole playlist for Dina and Ellie. It's beautiful."
Courtesy of HBO
Pedro Pascal in season 2 of 'The Last of Us'In February, after securing a win for outstanding male actor in a drama series for The Last Of Us at the 2024 SAG Awards, Pascal told reporters including PEOPLE that filming on season 2 was "going amazing."
"It's sort of awe-inspiring, the kind of focus and dedication that everyone has going into season 2," he said, adding that it felt "incredible" to be back with Ramsey and Mazin.
"Going back to season 2 and stepping back into those boots again, it feels strangely brand new. I've never done anything like this before that has original authorship and then to be given the space and author what I have to give," he continued. "I'll probably be thinking about it for the rest of my life."
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The Last of Us season 1 can be streamed on Max.
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