The Last of Us: A new rumor suggests Florence Pugh is HBO’s top choice for the role of Abby in Season 2

Last Updated on October 4, 2023

Sony Entertainment and HBO hit it big when The Last of Us debuted at the start of this year. The adaptation of the best-selling video game franchise, starring Pedro Pascal (Joel) and Bella Ramsey (Ellie), is one of the network’s most talked about shows in recent memory, and casting rumors for The Last of Us Season 2 are heating up. While there will be plenty of new characters to meet in the hotly-anticipated follow-up season, Abby Anderson is by far the most popular. Abby is a Washington Liberation Front soldier who falls to pieces after Joel kills her father, Jerry Anderson. Abby makes it her mission to hunt Joel down and make him pay for what he’s done. Throughout The Last of Us Part II video game, players step into Abby’s boots, allowing them access to her emotions, torment, and transformation into a sympathetic antihero.

I heard from another source that Florence Pugh got an offer to play Abby pre-strikes. pic.twitter.com/xnywCxjGS8

— MyTimeToShineHello (@MyTimeToShineH) September 8, 2023

The Last of Us co-creator Craig Mazin recently hinted that “maybe” the part of Abby is already cast, though he did not reveal who will star in the pivotal role. “Once the series is back in production, key questions abound about the second season, such as who will play Abby, a new character who is a rival to Ellie,” Mazin told The Los Angeles Times. Mazin hinted they’ve found the right person for the part, but due to the SAG-AFTRA strike, he cannot reveal who it is. However, entertainment scooper MyTimeToShineHello on X (formerly Twitter) says HBO is offering Florence Pugh the role.

While I remain skeptical about this rumor, Pugh is undoubtedly one of the most prominent actors to hit Hollywood in recent memory. She’s stunned audiences with electrifying performances in movies like Midsommar, Oppenheimer, Fighting with My Family, and as Yelena Belova in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. She’s playing Princess Irulan in Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two, coming to theaters in March of next year. I can see the resemblance between Pugh and Abby, though I still question the rumor’s validity. That said, I’d love nothing more than to see Pugh bulk up for the part, as Abby is a powerhouse capable of untold destruction. If you have yet to play The Last of Us Part II, trust me when I say Abby is a force to be reckoned with, and Ellie will need every bit of luck to survive her wrath.

Would Florence Pugh be a great choice to play Abby in The Last of Us Season 2? Let us know in the comments below.