The Last of Us star teases her character Dina in season 2: "She’s a light in Ellie’s life"

2024-07-16

EntertainmentTVDrama ShowsThe Last of UsThe Last of Us star teases her character Dina in season 2: “She’s a light in Ellie’s life"When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

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(Image credit: Getty Images/Lionel Hahn / Contributor)

Isabela Merced

Isabela Merced has joinedThe Last of Us season 2cast as one of Part 2’s most important characters – and has teased her relationship with Ellie.

“[TLOU’s Dina is] sort of a light in Ellie’s life, in Ellie’s world. I think that’s the general consensus, because you look at the video game, too, and she is really the only one who actually gets sort of a decent ending. Everyone else gets kind of screwed or dies!” she tellsTotal Film in our new issueout on Thursday, July 19, which featuresAlien: Romuluson the cover.

Merced’s casting was announced earlier this year, and behind-the-scenes photos have already leaked online. No spoilers, especially to those who haven’t played The Last of Us Part 2, but Dina is an important figure in Ellie’s adult life.

Season 2 is set to follow the harrowing storyline ofThe Last of Us Part 2video game, which fast forwards to an 18-year-old Ellie and her life as an adult following the events of Part 1.

“I love, more than anything, to be that light for the people in my life. And I like to make them laugh, and I like to make them understand themselves more,” Merced adds. “I just like to help in general. I think Dina’s very close to my own personality. I think we’re both very silly, and I think I would maybe handle the apocalypse in a similar way if I were in it.”

Merced is also currently filmingJames Gunn’sSuperman, in which she plays Hawkgirl. She also recently starred inMadame Webas Anya Corazon a.k.a Spider Girl.

Continues Merced: “Craig [Mazin] and his writing team and Neil [Druckmann] – they’re all extremely good at writing characters and people that are well-rounded and troubled and multidimensional. It’s a beautiful balance that they bring to entertainment but also character studies. It’s very interesting.”

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No release date has been given for The Last of Us season 2, though it does have a 2025 release window. And you can read more about it and a whole lot else besides in the new issue of Total Film when it hits shelves and digital newsstands on Thursday, July 19.

Check out the covers below:

(Image credit: 20th Century Studios/Disney)

The xenomorph on the cover of Total Film’s Alien: Romulus issue

Pre-order the issue hereto bag your copy, orclick here to subscribe to Total Filmand never miss another exclusive. You’ll get every issue before it’s in stores, and you’ll get subscriber-exclusive covers.

(Image credit: Total Film/20th Century Studios/Disney/Marvel Studios/Warner Bros/Prime Video/Universal)

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