Kaitlyn Dever filmed The Last of Us’ most heartbreaking scene in the middle of real grief

The second episode of The Last of Us season two had everyone floored. Joel’s shocking death? Brutal. Abby’s arrival? Intense. But behind the scenes, things were even more heartbreaking than anyone knew. Kaitlyn Dever, who plays Abby, revealed she filmed The Last of Us heartbreaking scene just three days after her mum’s funeral.

She was grieving off-camera

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Kaitlyn shared how difficult it was stepping into Abby’s shoes while mourning the loss of her mum, Kathy, who died after a 14-year battle with breast cancer. “My mom’s funeral was three days before I did my first day. So, I was sort of in a fog. I was in a daze,” she told Entertainment Weekly.

She admitted that the scene, where Abby brutally kills Joel, was already an emotional mountain. But with her personal grief, it became even more intense.

‘I wasn’t able to do my normal actor routine’

Kaitlyn explained that normally she prepares heavily for big moments. But this time, her head and heart were somewhere else. And understandably so. Showrunner Craig Mazin gave her the time she needed. The team reshuffled the shooting schedule so she could process and grieve. “Because of my life circumstances, I wasn’t actually able to do my normal routine as an actor, which was really interesting because I was kind of worried about it,” she said.

The scene that changed everything

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For viewers, Joel’s death was a moment they knew was coming, especially if they played the games. But that didn’t make it any easier to watch. In the scene, Abby is rescued by Joel, only to realise who he is and lead him into a trap. At the lodge, she shoots him in the leg… then finishes him with a golf club, while Ellie watches helplessly.

Now knowing what Kaitlyn was personally going through? It hits even harder.

‘My mama. My life. My everything.’

Kaitlyn posted a heartbreaking tribute to her mum on Instagram after her death: “Nothing I’ll ever say will amount to the gifts you have given me in my life… Your love was everywhere.”