How Bella Ramsey and Kaitlyn Dever Prepared for Ellie and Abby’s Showdown
Season 2 of The Last of Us isn’t holding back, and neither are its stars. Bella Ramsey and Kaitlyn Dever have stepped into one of the most emotionally explosive rivalries in modern TV with ferocity, finesse, and yes—some serious fight training. But what does it take to embody two of the most polarizing characters in video game history? Spoiler alert: more than a protein shake and a few tears. Let’s peel back the curtain and see how Bella and Kaitlyn got battle-ready, mentally and physically, for the biggest showdown this series has ever seen.
Bella Ramsey: Older, Wiser, and Ready to Break You
Season 2 picks up years after the traumatic finale of the first, and Ellie has changed. She’s no longer the snarky teenager we met in Jackson. She’s colder. Tougher. And absolutely consumed by grief.
To match this shift, Bella Ramsey went all in. In fact, they started training two months ahead of filming, focusing on Brazilian jiu-jitsu to build strength and learn fight mechanics. Yeah, Ellie’s still small, but now she can choke someone out.
Ramsey told Gamerant they found the physical side “really empowering,” especially because Ellie’s strength is fueled by pure emotion. But it wasn’t all combat drills and bruises. Bella also dove deep into Ellie’s fractured headspace—a swirl of guilt, love, and anger. Speaking to CBR, they opened up about how Ellie’s sense of imposter syndrome haunts her, especially after what happened with Joel.
So, physically jacked? Check. Emotionally wrecked? Double check. Ramsey’s locked and loaded for Ellie’s darkest chapter yet.
Kaitlyn Dever: Not Just Muscle, All Heart
Enter Abby. Cue gasps, memes, and internet fights. Kaitlyn Dever took on what might be TV’s most controversial casting in years. And guess what? She knew exactly what she was walking into.
People online screamed about Abby’s signature biceps. Dever? She focused on the soul.
In her People interview, Dever said, “It’s easy to call her a villain, but that’s not who she is.” For her, the goal wasn’t to become a muscle tank overnight. It was about grief, trauma, and rage. That said, she absolutely got down to business with stunt training. The physical demands were no joke, and she wanted Abby to feel real in those brutal, hand-to-hand combat scenes.
Yes, Abby’s strong. But Dever zeroed in on why she fights—not just how. The loss that drives her. The quiet moments that humanize her. And the brutal reality of living in a world where love and violence often go hand-in-hand.
No Beef Off-Camera
You’d think playing mortal enemies might spark some real tension, right? Not even close.
Bella Ramsey and Kaitlyn Dever, in true professional fashion, became fast friends off-set. They joked around during downtime and supported each other through the heavier scenes. It turns out, working through some of the darkest material TV has to offer is a whole lot easier when you genuinely like your scene partner.
This chemistry—or maybe anti-chemistry—will probably make their on-screen confrontations even more electric. When actors trust each other, they take risks. And from what we’re hearing, they’re not pulling any punches. Literally.
Haters Gonna Tweet, But the Showrunners Aren’t Worried
After Dever’s casting dropped, fans had opinions. A lot of them. Mostly about how she wasn’t “ripped” enough to play Abby. But showrunner Craig Mazin quickly shut that down in Business Insider, saying Dever had “the spirit of the game in her.”
That spirit? It matters more than muscle mass. Because The Last of Us was never just about action. It’s about character. Raw, messy, tragic character.
Abby is more than her arms. And Kaitlyn Dever, with her intense focus and willingness to be emotionally vulnerable, seems determined to prove that. The backlash? Background noise. The performance? Front and center.
Getting Into the Guts of It All
Behind the scenes, both actors took different but equally intense roads to arrive at the same cliff—the cliff of vengeance and heartbreak.
Bella Ramsey:
- Two months of Brazilian jiu-jitsu
- Explored Ellie’s imposter syndrome and trauma
- Leaned into Ellie’s quiet rage and shifting morality
Kaitlyn Dever:
- Committed to stunt training for physical credibility
- Focused on Abby’s emotional fragility and grief
- Defended Abby’s complexity in the face of fan backlash
While the fandom debates who was right and who was wrong, Ramsey and Dever are playing the long game. They’re not interested in black-and-white answers. They’re diving into the messy gray. That’s where the story lives, and frankly, that’s where The Last of Us shines.
One Showdown. Two Stories. All In.
When the camera rolls and fists fly, what matters most isn’t how hard someone punches. It’s why they do it. Bella Ramsey and Kaitlyn Dever understand that to their bones.
They’re not just playing parts—they’re shouldering the emotional legacy of a franchise that defined a generation. And somehow, they’re doing it while still finding moments to laugh, bond, and occasionally breathe.
So whether you’re Team Ellie or Team Abby, take comfort in one thing: this showdown’s in damn good hands.
