The second season of one of HBO’s most critically acclaimed series, The Last of Us, is just around the corner, and it’s quickly gaining steam. HBO stoked the flames further today by announcing which actress will portray Dina, one of TLOU2‘s key characters.
Warning: Spoilers for The Last of Us: Part 2 and season two of the HBO adaptation below
The Last of Us: Part 2 has a massive array of characters, most of which extremely well-portrayed and written. The story’s protagonists are among the best characters in gaming history, and Dina happens to be one of them. You could consider her a secondary protagonist if you don’t see Joel and Ellie as the game and show’s central characters (even with the former’s untimely end). Therefore, casting her was likely one of HBO’s toughest choices, and it seems they’ve made the right one: Isabela Merced, known for appearing in Dora and Sicario, will be Dina in TLOU season 2, HBO confirmed on Jan. 11.
As Variety reported on X (formerly Twitter) on Jan. 11, Bella Ramsey (Ellie) has already met with Merced, meaning that their chemistry has been brewing for at least a little while. The two characters share a crucial love story in The Last of Us: Part 2, one full of fantastic drama that will bring many tears of joy and sadness to the fans’ eyes in the show. Ellie and Dina meet during a gathering and end up together following a popular scene involving a particular strand of grass, which will likely feature in HBO’s adaptation as well (the fans are already begging for it).
As for Merced and her acting past, she kickstarted her career by appearing in Nickelodoen’s 100 Things to Do Before High School and Dora and Friends as a child actress. She also appeared in Sicario: Day of the Soldado, the sequel to the critically acclaimed action-thriller Sicario, and a film not for the faint of heart. The latter would be enough to qualify Merced for any role involving a lot of drama and heavy-hitting scenes, provided how thematically complex the movie is. She also starred as the titular character in Dora and the Lost City of Gold, which, though lighthearted, proved she could lead in a fully-fledged feature.
Fans are rightfully stoked that a young and upcoming actress has joined the stellar TLOU cast alongside Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal. The latter will likely be the biggest star of the second season if the show sticks to the games as closely as it has in the first season. HBO also announced the role of Jesse and Abby, and we can’t wait to see them in action.
