The Last of Us Season 2 is about to throw a wrench into the emotional core of the series with the arrival of Abby—one of the most polarizing figures in modern gaming. But for series newcomer Kaitlyn Dever, playing the part of the muscular, grief-stricken soldier from The Last of Us Part II has been anything but one-note.

In a new interview, Dever opened up about taking on the role originated by Laura Bailey in the game, the physical transformation required, and the internal damage Abby hides behind her armor, which she uses in her physical and emotional conflict with Pedro Pascal's Joel and Bella Ramsey's Ellie in the series. She also confirmed that, by design, her approach would not be a direct imitation of Bailey’s performance, which is probably for the best.

“I actually didn’t [talk to Laura]. In my first meeting with Neil [Druckmann] and Craig [Mazin], I...