Kaitlyn Dever's CGI Use in The Last of Us Explained

Speculation has been rampant about Abby's introduction in The Last of Us Season 2, but few anticipated Kaitlyn Dever requiring facial CGI due to an unfortunate spider bite incident.

During an interview with the Los Angeles Times about filming the acclaimed series, Dever revealed production had to digitally conceal an inflamed bite mark sustained between shoots.

"It appears in my first Fireflies episode," Dever explained. "During a brief break, I developed what I initially thought was a pimple on my cheek - turns out it was a significant spider bite."

"The swelling became... frankly uncomfortable," she continued. "The visual effects team performed magic - the correction is completely unnoticeable. I actually have a permanent scar from the eventual medical treatment."

Dever also discussed channeling personal grief for *that* pivotal scene. Tragically, she filmed the emotionally charged Fireflies confrontation just four days after her mother's funeral.

"I had to return to set three days post-funeral," Dever shared. "That chalet scene became strangely cathartic. Grief affects memory in fascinating ways - watching playback felt like experiencing the story fresh."

HBO reports soaring viewership for Season 2, with the series now reaching over 90 million global viewers since Season 1. The U.S. Season 2 finale attracted 3.7 million cross-platform viewers, though Warner Bros anticipates significant delayed viewing increases post-Memorial Day weekend.

For context, Season 1's finale achieved a record 8.2 million viewers, establishing a high benchmark Season 2 couldn't quite match.

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Showrunner Craig Mazin recently confirmed a fourth season would be necessary to properly adapt both Naughty Dog games. While Season 3 may feature extended episodes, Mazin stressed "there's simply too much story to conclude satisfactorily in one season."

Mazin and Neil Druckmann have also teased uncertainty around certain characters' future screen time, keeping fans speculating about upcoming narrative directions.