The Last of Us Season 2 Adds Isabela Merced as Dina
Another character from the video game is making their way to HBO’s The Last of Us.
Isabela Merced has joined the post-apocalyptic show’s second season as Dina.
Max took to its X (formerly Twitter) account to welcome Merced to the ensemble, with Naughty Dog, who developed The Last of Us video game for the PlayStation platforms, adding on X, “We can’t wait to see Isabela Merced’s portrayal of Dina in @TheLastOfUsHBO Season 2!”
Dina is “a free-wheeling spirit whose devotion to Ellie will be tested by the brutality of the world they inhabit,” per the character’s description via TV Line.
Merced’s casting comes after the announcement of Kaitlyn Dever joining The Last of Us Season 2 as Abby on Tuesday. Dever and Merced co-starred in Hulu’s romantic comedy Rosaline in 2022.
“Dina is warm, brilliant, wild, funny, moral, dangerous, and instantly lovable,” The Last of Us co-creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann said, per Variety.
“You can search forever for an actor who effortlessly embodies all of those things, or you can find Isabela Merced right away. We couldn’t be prouder to have her join our family,” the duo added.
On Wednesday, news broke that BEEF‘s Young Mazino would join the second season as Jesse. “We’re so excited for Young Mazino to step into the shoes of Jesse in @TheLastOfUsHBO Season 2,” Naughty Dog wrote on X.
Jesse is “a pillar of his community who puts everyone else’s needs before his own, sometimes at terrible cost,” per TV Line.
The Last of Us Season 1 starred Pedro Pascal as Joel, Bella Ramsey as Ellie, Gabriel Luna as Tommy, Anna Torv as Tess, Nico Parker as Sarah, Murray Bartlett as Frank, Nick Offerman as Bill, Melanie Lynskey as Kathleen, Storm Reid as Riley, and Merle Dandridge as Marlene.
The debut season’s cast included Jeffrey Pierce as Perry, Lamar Johnson as Henry, Keivonn Woodard as Sam, Graham Greene as Marlon, and Elaine Miles as Florence, with Ashley Johnson and Troy Baker.
Based on the video game of the same name, the HBO Original series is set 20 years after modern civilization is destroyed, and Joel is hired to smuggle 14-year-old Ellie “out of an oppressive quarantine zone,” per its synopsis.
Written and executive produced by Craig and Neil Druckman, The Last of Us is a co-production with Sony Pictures Television. Carolyn Strauss, Evan Wells, Asad Qizilbash, Carter Swan, and Rose Lam executive produce.
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The Last of Us Season 1 is streaming on Max.
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Shelby Elpers
Shelby is a TV enthusiast and pop culture writer. She's an avid podcast listener, green tea drinker, and soccer fan. Her brand can be summarized in rom-coms, superheroes, teen dramas, and workplace comedies.