THIS ARTICLE CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR THE LAST OF US.
Gaming enthusiasts are known to be quite passionate about their favorite video games, but sometimes, things tend to get a little out of control. No one can vouch for this better than the creators and voice artists for The Last of Us Part II who were actually facing death threats by fans when something didn’t go their way in the game.
While everyone got their share of hate from the fans, it seems like Laura Bailey, the voice artist for Abby, might have gotten the shortest end of the stick. Speaking her heart out in a behind-the-scenes documentary, Laura Bailey let the world know about the things she went through after the release of The Last of Us Part II. It looks like actress Kaitlyn Dever might have to brace herself for the near future!
Fans of The Last of Us Part II Mix Fiction with Reality
There is a huge difference between real and reel, but sometimes, the line between them becomes a blur. Something similar happened with Laura Bailey after she gave her voice to one of the most controversial characters in the gaming world – Abby.
After Abby murders the beloved protagonist of the game, Joel, fans are naturally shocked to their core. After all, no one saw it coming! However, there was probably a better way to deal with the shock rather than sending hate to the person behind Abby’s voice.
In a documentary titled Grounded II: Making The Last of Us Part II, Bailey opened up about the death threats she faced after Joel’s death went live. She stated that the Internet was full to the brim with death and violent threats aimed toward her to the point that she had to report the most disturbing ones to the authorities. However, the worst of it all came when Bailey’s newborn son was brought into it all by the angry fans.
Holding back tears, Bailey stated,
“Every time I went online, that’s all I saw. Just death threats and threats of violence…The worst of it, the really hardcore death threats, got passed along and they made sure that they weren’t anyone that lived close by…Yeah, they were like, threatening my son. You know, who was born during all of it. Yeah, it was rough. It was rough. But, you know, more than anything it just kind of like, it taught me to keep a distance.”
Bailey’s honesty was enough to bring viewers to tears. However, her story is just one of many where actors have to pay the price for the actions of their characters.
Kaitlyn Dever Needs to Fasten her Seatbelt
After the exceptional performance of The Last of Us, starring Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, season two has been locked in for a release in 2025. Season two will introduce the much-dreaded character, Abby, as fans brace themselves for the worst. Golden Globe Award nominee Kaitlyn Dever is all set to bring Abby to life, but looking at what Bailey had to face, Dever needs to prepare herself for a possible wave of hate.
Worries aside, the casting team might have outdone themselves once again with the appointment of the Unbelievable actress. She seems perfect for the role! As co-creators Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin told Variety,
“Our casting process for the season two has been identical to season 1: we look for world-class actors who embody the souls of the characters in the source material. Nothing matters more than talent, and we’re thrilled to have an acclaimed performer like Kaitlyn join Pedro, Bella and the rest of our family.”
While we are looking forward to Dever putting her skills as an actor on full display, only time will tell how her performance is met by the passionate fans of the franchise.
You can stream The Last of Us season one on Max.
