Warning: This article contains spoilers for The Last of Us Part II.

Anyone who’s skeptical about whether Kaitlyn Dever can effectively play Abby in The Last of Us season 2 needs to see her performances in her best movies. For years, Dever was a popular fan casting choice to play Ellie, so casting her as Abby for season 2 is an interesting way to highlight the similarities between these two characters who violently hate each other. But when Dever was cast, there were some complaints about her physique. Abby is a musclebound badass who kills stalkers and Seraphite brutes with her bare hands, whereas Dever has never played an action-oriented role.

But just because Dever has never played an action hero and isn’t built like Arnold Schwarzenegger, it doesn’t mean she can’t do the character of Abby justice. It’s easy to use the movie magic of stunt doubles and deceptive camera angles to make an actor look tougher than they really are, and there are many more dimensions to Abby’s character than just her physicality. Abby is vulnerable, but hides it well. She’s fiercely protective of her people. She’s riddled with guilt and on the road to redemption. Dever’s best movies prove she’ll nail all of those qualities.

Kaitlyn Dever's Best Performances Prove She's Perfect To Play The Last Of Us' Abby

Dever has already demonstrated the range she needs to play Abby

Dever has already proven that she has the range required to play Abby in The Last of Us season 2. Arguably Dever’s most iconic performance – playing Marie Adler, a survivor of sexual assault, in the Netflix miniseries Unbelievable – demonstrates her ability to bring powerful poignancy to a character who is, much like Abby, haunted by a traumatic event from their past. Dever’s turn in the FX neo-western series Justified as Loretta McCready, a teenage pot dealer who refuses to take any guff from anyone, proves she can play Abby’s stubbornness and belligerence.

Dever has also shown off Abby-like qualities in her best movies. She played Hildy Beasley, an angsty teenager who rebels against authority, in Lynn Shelton’s prison-release drama Outside In. She played Karen Malloy, a young woman caught in the crossfire of civil unrest, in Kathryn Bigelow’s true-events crime thriller Detroit. The backdrop of this character’s world is similar to the civil war between the W.L.F. and the Seraphites in the backdrop of Abby’s world. Dever can definitely play Abby because, in different parts of different performances, she’s pretty much already played Abby.

The Last of Us season 2 is expected to air sometime in 2025.

Dever Played An Antihero On A Rough Road To Redemption In No One Will Save You

Like Abby, Brynn seeks redemption for her worst mistake

In Brian Duffield’s chilling alien invasion thriller No One Will Save You, Dever plays Brynn, a young woman who lives alone and has to fend off the alien invaders alone. Early on in the film, it’s hinted that Brynn did something so horrible that it made her a social pariah in her small town. She’s hated by the community, which is why she spends all her time alone. It’s also established that she’s mourning the loss of her childhood best friend, Maude. When the aliens telepathically probe Brynn, they reveal the horrific incident that turned the town against her.

When Brynn and Maude were kids, they got into an argument in the woods. Maude pushed Brynn to the ground and Brynn hit Maude with a rock, killing her. The immense guilt of this incident has been weighing on Brynn ever since, and Dever does a spectacular job of showing that. Guilt is a huge part of Abby’s character, since getting revenge on Joel only made her feel worse, and Dever has proven she can convey that emotion. There’s next to no dialogue in No One Will Save You, so Dever has to show these emotions through body language alone.

Booksmart Proves Dever Will Nail Abby's Signature Sense Of Humor

Abby's sense of humor is a key part of her personality

Abby’s sense of humor is a big part of her personality. All her interactions with Owen are built on hilariously one-upping each other with lighthearted insults. Her scenes with Lev get a lot of comedic mileage out of Abby making snarky, sarcastic remarks and Lev not understanding sarcasm. In fact, one of the most tragic things about Abby’s character – apart from losing almost everyone she loves – is that she’s really funny, but no one laughs at her jokes. Playing Abby in HBO’s The Last of Us will require great comic timing skills.

Dever showed off her comedic abilities with her turn as Amy Antsler in Olivia Wilde’s directorial debut Booksmart. Booksmart is one of the funniest comedies in recent memory, seamlessly blending raunchy, laugh-out-loud gags with sweet, heartfelt character work. Amy and her sidekick Molly, played by Beanie Feldstein, have the classic teen comedy dynamic of Superbad or Bottoms, contrasting a shy, nerdy, straitlaced kid with their boisterous best friend. Dever’s Amy is the former – she’s anxious, she’s socially awkward, and she’s much more comfortable at the library than at a house party.

Much like Amy, a lot of the humor of Abby’s character comes out of excruciating awkwardness. Whether she’s trying to make peace with her ex-boyfriend’s new girlfriend or trying to teach Lev what “punk rock” means, Abby can never seem to say the right thing. Dever has already proven that she’ll nail the hilarious awkwardness of these scenes with her turn in Booksmart.

Dever Played A Teenager Processing Trauma In Short Term 12

Trauma is a tough thing for an actor to convey

Destin Daniel Cretton’s heart-wrenching coming-of-age drama Short Term 12 stars Brie Larson as Grace Howard, the supervisor of a group facility for troubled teenagers. Dever plays Jayden Cole, one of the troubled teens under Grace’s care. Grace takes Jayden under her wing, because Jayden’s history with an abusive father reminds Grace of her own traumatic childhood. Dever does an incredible job of showing a teenager’s struggle to process unspeakable trauma. This is the key to making Abby sympathetic as she processes the murder of her father in The Last of Us season 2.

After seeing the range that Dever has demonstrated in Short Term 12, Booksmart, and No One Will Save You – not to mention all her other amazing performances – I’m convinced The Last of Us’ casting team made the right call when they cast her to play Abby. She’ll effectively convey Abby’s devastating struggles with PTSD, but she’ll also effectively deliver Abby’s biting one-liners. She’ll effectively convey Abby grappling with guilt, but she’ll also effectively play the awkwardness of Abby’s interactions with Mel. The role of Abby is in very safe hands.