The world of The Last Of Us is a harsh one. Not just because of all those cordyceps mushroom-zombies, but because of the hard-scrabble existence the
The world of The Last Of Us is a harsh one. Not just because of all those cordyceps mushroom-zombies, but because of the hard-scrabble existence the aforementioned infected have plunged humanity into. For all the hardships still to come in The Last Of Us Season 2 (taking inspiration from The Last Of Us Part II game) there are glimmers of hope and lightness too – mainly in the form of Dina. Isabela Merced’s incoming character is set to bring a modern dimension to the life of Bella Ramsey’s Ellie, with their dance together (as seen in the exclusive image above) a beloved, key scene from the second game.
“Isabela had the tough job of coming into this big show where everything was already established,” Ramsey tells Empire of Merced’s arrival. She comes in “as a love interest to Ellie, but as way more than that,” Ramsey explains. “Like, she’s absolutely not just the love interest of the show – she really plays such a pivotal part in the season.” Merced was pivotal, too, in making things easier for Ramsey. “She brought such a light and energy and silliness to the show in such a brilliant way,” says Ramsey – who has all kinds of tough scenes to play in Season 2. “I was so tired and beaten down throughout some of it, and she always had a way of just making it light. I think we really carried each other through this season.”
As for Merced, she reacted just as she would do in an actual mushroom-zombie apocalypse.“It wasn’t really a stretch for me. I’m quite a positive individual myself,” she tells Empire. “I do think that in the middle of an apocalypse, I would be the first one cracking jokes in the most inappropriate times, just because I think humour is my coping mechanism.” In the world of The Last Of Us, you need the laughs wherever you can get them.
Read Empire’s full The Last Of Us Season 2 feature – going on set and speaking to Pedro Pascal, Bella Ramsey, Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin – in the Thunderbolts* issue, on sale Thursday 13 March. Pre-order a copy online here. The Last Of Us Season 2 comes to Sky / NOW from 14 April.
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