Kaitlyn Dever Experienced Her Mother’s Loss Just Weeks Before Filming ‘Last of Us’ Scene
Warning: This article includes spoilers for Season 2 of “The Last of Us.”
Kaitlyn Dever, a star of “The Last of Us,” was navigating the profound loss of her mother while filming one of Season 2’s most intense scenes — the moment her character Abby takes the life of Joel, a fan-favorite played by Pedro Pascal.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Dever shared her experience filming Episode 2 just weeks after the passing of her mother, Kathy, who succumbed to complications from breast cancer in 2024.
“To be completely candid,” she remarked, “I must say my days leading up to this scene were incredibly difficult.”
“I lost my mom just two or three weeks prior to filming this scene,” she added, “and her funeral took place merely three days before my first day on set. I was in a fog, quite dazed.”
Abby’s motivation for killing Joel stems from his earlier act of violence against her father in Season 1. Her father, a Firefly, was working to create a vaccine for the lethal Cordyceps fungus, intending to use Ellie’s (Bella Ramsey) immune brain, which would result in her death. Joel intervened, saving Ellie but bringing chaos in the process.
Craig Mazin, one of the show’s creators, expressed to Entertainment Weekly that they encouraged Dever to take as much time as needed to prepare for this pivotal scene.
“While the show is incredibly important to me, it’s just that — a TV show,” Mazin stated. “I would never prioritize a show over someone’s grieving process, especially since this narrative partly revolves around that experience.”
The production team adjusted the filming schedule to allow Dever to choose a day she felt most at ease to shoot, conducting the filming on a closed set.
“Given my personal circumstances, I couldn’t follow my usual acting routines, which was intriguing, though it made me a bit anxious,” Dever explained. “Typically, for a monologue like this, I’d start memorizing three weeks in advance.”
“I adopted a different method, which I believe benefitted the character in many ways,” she continued. “I was able to… I don’t know, just let it go and not overthink because the script was powerful in its own right.”
Dever announced her mother’s passing on Instagram in February 2024, reflecting on their time together in her caption.
“No words I can express will equal the gifts you provided throughout my life, the endless joy you brought, and the unconditional love that enveloped our family,” Dever wrote. “Your love was always present.”
As reported by Entertainment Weekly, Kathy Dever was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer at the young age of 39, a battle she fought for 14 years before her death in 2024.
“Your love was like sunshine; it warmed me during my hardest times and brought smiles in my moments of sorrow,” Dever shared on Instagram. “You were beloved by all. You are my favorite, the sweetest soul. I will be lost forever without you, and I truly don’t know how I’ll continue on.”
