I know casting decisions are made public typically after they’re set in stone, but there was a naïve part of me that hoped HBO might see the reaction to casting Kyriana Kratter as Lev in The Last of Us’ third season and somehow reverse course. But here we are, The Last of Us Part II’s trans boy lead is being played by a cis girl in the live-action adaptation, and we now have our first looks at her and Abby actor Kaitlyn Dever during filming for what could be the show’s final season.
The photos come from The Last of Us’ set in Vancouver, and much of what we’ve seen so far depicts Dever and Kratter traveling through the show’s dilapidated recreation of Seattle. The HBO production has been adapting the game’s structure pretty faithfully, so it seems like season three will focus almost exclusively on Abby and Lev’s side of the story after season two’s (abysmal) recreation of Ellie’s three days in Seattle.
Looks like all businesses with these two, actress #KaitlynDever & #KyrianaKratter on the set of #Thelastofus in #Vancouver @yvrshootstweets @laughinatthegop pic.twitter.com/U6OamCoHtf
— NewWestBoyⓂ️ (@CaptCanuck66) May 11, 2026
For what it’s worth, Kratter’s costume looks the part. Lev’s Seraphite coat, shaved head, and bow are all here as well, so the visual elements are intact. Dever as Abby, meanwhile, still remains mostly unrecognizable as the character. Abby is another one of the show’s many odd casting choices since Dever lacks the hulking frame the character has in the PlayStation game.
Showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann (who left the live-action adaptation ahead of season three), gave a flimsy explanation about how a crucial part of Abby’s character design wasn’t important, actually, because there was no need to differentiate Ellie and Abby through gameplay in a TV show. Abby’s strength was factored into her playstyle, which allowed her to brawl with enemies in a way Ellie couldn’t. Dever’s a great actor working with below-average material in The Last of Us, but her casting still feels like a misfire.
The Last of Us’ third season seems to be its last, which is good because it means I won’t have to suffer through a fourth one. I could also go on about how keeping the Last of Us Part II adaptation a concise two seasons would be the best way to capture the source material, but that ship sailed years ago.
