Overview
- Dina’s narrative is set to be more immersive in The Last of Us Season 2, highlighting her Jewish heritage and personal trials.
- Isabela Merced, the actress portraying Dina, welcomes any negative feedback on her character’s LGBTQ+ relationship with Ellie.
- Merced hints at a deeper exploration of Dina’s bond with Joel in the forthcoming season.
With the highly anticipated release of The Last of Us Season 2 just around the corner, actress Isabela Merced, who takes on the role of Dina, shares insights into how HBO is enhancing Dina’s character arc compared to the video game. Moreover, Merced expresses her readiness to face potential backlash concerning the depiction of Dina’s relationship with Ellie.
Merced Unfazed by Potential Homophobic Backlash Regarding Dina
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Merced elaborates on what viewers can expect from her character in the upcoming season. While the video game does not provide ample backstory for Dina, it does reveal through dialogue that she faced hardships as an orphan and that her older sister, Talia, took care of her. The two sisters formed a connection through their visits to the synagogue, where Dina has continued her spiritual practices. Merced assures fans that Season 2 will explore this aspect of Dina’s life in much greater depth. “Dina in the game doesn’t really have a lot of backstory. It’s devastating and it’s also inspiring, like, ‘My people survived, so I can survive this.’ It’s really beautiful,” she notes. “We get to expand upon her story a little bit more in this season.”
Merced suggests that viewers might witness a recreation of the poignant synagogue scene from the game, where Dina articulates her Jewish faith. While she refrains from revealing specific plot details, she emphasizes the significance of this moment, stating, “I really appreciated that sequence in the game because it revealed so much and it made her multi-dimensional and layered and vulnerable.” She believes the show’s creators, Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin, will delve deeper into Dina’s storyline, even if she cannot disclose exactly how it unfolds.
Discussing her character’s romance with Ellie, Merced challenges the existence of homophobia in storytelling, stating, “I’m kind of looking forward to the backlash. I don’t know how to describe it. I’m not scared because the LGBTQ+ community has existed since the beginning of time.” She advocates that depicting these relationships is not just valid but also enhances the richness of the narrative. “If you have their support, you are fine,”she asserts.
Merced continues, emphasizing the historical context of LGBTQ+ representation in media: “The game was made so long ago. I don’t see what the problem is. Not only that, it’s just a beautiful story. If anything isn’t successful, it’s because of the quality of the work, not because of themes.”She describes this storyline as a “successful sapphic story,” expressing excitement for audiences to experience the powerful narrative between Dina and Ellie.
Moreover, Merced notes that the relationship between Dina and Joel will hold more significance in Season 2 compared to its portrayal in the original game. While players may only observe limited interactions between them, Merced reassures fans that their connection will be more deeply explored due to Dina’s close relationship with Ellie.
The Last of Us Season 2 is set to debut on HBO on April 13, 2025, promising to deliver an enriched experience for fans of the franchise.
Source: Entertainment Weekly