HBO’s The Last of Us adaptation has opened up to a rather strong release, even surpassing the 1st Season’s release viewership. And while Season 2 of The Last of Us has brewed up its controversy before release, partly because of Abby’s actress lacking the physique for her character, it appears many fans agree that Kaitlyn Denver got one thing right (at least).
During the show’s first episode, Abby, played by Kaitlyn Denver, finally made her live-action debut. While she lacked the character’s signature bodybuilder physique, her voice and internalized rage were supposedly spot-on. Abby is notably aching over the deaths of her Fireflies comrades at Joel’s hands; one of the victims was Abby’s father.
A highly-upvoted post on The Last of Us subreddit has drawn praise for the performance and spotlighted Kaitlyn Denver’s acting chops for Abby. Many praised how Denver captured Abby’s pitch and tough tone. Others added that Denver didn’t even need to speak to portray Abby in The Last of Us Season 2 because her facial expressions and vengeful tears were enough to convey the character’s essence.
Regardless of how you might find Abby’s live-action portrayal and adaptation, one comment from another user somehow sums up how Denver’s performance was received. Take note: Abby only appeared for barely two minutes in the relatively short sequences she had in the 1st episode.
“She killed the first episode (pun unintended I’m so sorry)! Only two scenes if I remember correctly and she was acting circles around the rest of the group in my opinion. Hope she’s a bit buff under that winter coat LOL,” says Redditor Meatballjoke in the aforementioned thread.
It’s also worth mentioning that five years have passed in the show’s timeline since Abby’s appearance in the 1st episode. That means some changes, whether physical or emotional, are due as Abby and her Fireflies crew hunt down Joel’s whereabouts.
Abby in the Show Won’t Be as Violent
One of the big points of contention during Kaitlyn Denver’s reveal was how the show failed to be faithful to Abby’s character since in The Last of Us: Part 2, Abby was supposed to have a bodybuilder’s physique. This signature appearance became important not just to make Abby unique but also to symbolize her rage and dedication to revenge– it became an important part of her personality.
Denver, in comparison, was not as buff as Abby, and this has upset a lot of fans. The outcry has prompted The Last of Us: Part 2‘s writer, Neil Druckmann, to explain the change, stating that there won’t be as much violence in the show compared to the game since, well, there’s no gameplay. Hence, Kaitlyn Denver seems to have prioritized acting over attaining Abby’s bulky physique.
For Neil Druckmann, portraying Abby’s mental and emotional fortitude was more important than manifesting the physical effects of such traits. It remains to be seen just how different Kaitlyn Denver’s Abby is going to be, given the different focus on her character in the show.
