Isabela Merced Shares New 'Last Of Us' Behind-the-Scenes Details Ahead of Season 2 Premiere
With the highly anticipated second season of 'The Last of Us' set to premiere this Sunday, Isabela Merced is offering fresh insight into her portrayal of Dina—Ellie's new love interest and one of the most emotionally layered characters introduced in the video game's sequel. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Merced opened up about the experience of joining the HBO phenomenon and how music, energy, and spontaneity helped shape her time on set.
The actress recalled a moment during production when someone mentioned a party, sparking a chain reaction. "I need to make it happen," she said. "It doesn't matter in what capacity, there needs to be a party." That spark ignited what would later become a mid-season celebration with the cast and crew during a break from shooting episodes three and four in rural Canada.
The environment was far from glamorous. "It was manure," Merced said, describing the air during filming. "They were already harvesting and doing the farming things that they do in rural Canada. We were just playing music and dancing [in between takes]. Music was a huge part of our experience."
Those breaks became bonding moments. Gabriel Luna would strum guitar while Merced sang. "Playlists," she shared, "are my love language." Her custom playlist for Dina included "alt rock, alt indie, the occasional '80s song... then some zombie wordplay."
Merced first encountered Dina by playing 'The Last of Us Part II' without knowing it was the role she was up for. She later said, "We get to expand upon her story a little bit more in this season."
She also credited Shannon Woodward's original portrayal, saying, "She gave me all the material I needed. I did not neglect a single bit of what she brought to Dina in the process of finding the live-action [version]."
