The actress also tells TheWrap about recreating the game’s “Take On Me” scene and Joel’s influence on Dina and Ellie’s relationship Note: This article contains spoilers from “The Last of Us” Season 2 After taking time to grieve Joel’s death last week, Sunday’s episode of HBO’s “The Last of Us” saw Ellie and Dina arrive in Seattle as part of their revenge against Abby and her crew of ex-Fireflies The journey proved to be more dangerous than the pair was expecting as they encounter the Washington Liberation Front (WLF) dead Seraphites and infected around every corner But the biggest bombshell of Episode 4 comes towards the end as Ellie (Bella Ramsey) reveals to Dina that she’s immune — and Dina reveals to Ellie that she’s pregnant with Jesse’s child “It isn’t your average pregnancy experience I think learning while she’s already on the way plays a big factor [in why she chooses to stay on the journey with Ellie] But she has her own motivations for it and I don’t think much is going to get in the way,” Isabela Merced “That shows how devoted she is to the people she loves Episode 4 balanced the tone with a light-hearted moment between Ellie and Dina taken straight from the game in which the former serenades the latter with a rendition of A-ha’s “Take on Me.” When asked about recreating the scene and what’s going through Dina’s head as she stares longingly at Ellie Merced said it’s not only a moment where Dina and Ellie get to express joy and love for one another but also another opportunity to mourn Joel (Pedro Pascal) “A lot of the love Dina has for Ellie is thanks to Joel he taught her a lot of the values that she holds he taught her a lot of the jokes and whatnot So I think it’s a happy sort of grieving for Joel and one of those moments where you’re happy thinking of them even though they’re gone,” Merced said it’s actually because the feelings she has for Ellie potentially scare her because it’s that deep and it’s much more than she anticipated So she’s also going through a lot of emotions because she’s a very pregnant woman So there’s a lot of factors that go into that look and why I think that scene is such a special and true moment for both of those characters.” that scene proves to be one of the last moments of levity we see in the rest of the episode as the pair come face to face with a horde of infected shortly after while running through an abandoned and destroyed subway system “My favorite part of that sequence is when Dina is counting the infected noises incorporating that from earlier in the season incorporating the crouching in the game where you’re normally able to see where the infected might be around you,” she said “So it’s incorporating that element but in a more clever way.” The sequence culminates in Ellie getting bitten to protect Dina a slight change from the game due to the absence of spores It also sets up a difficult choice for Dina: to believe that Ellie is immune or to kill her “[Bella and I] both had a really interesting task It was to tell the truth and then to decide if Dina was going to believe it I can only speak for myself really and I really appreciate Bella giving me that performance,” Merced said It didn’t matter what Ellie said to Dina in that moment because there was a lot of questioning if she was lying There’s also a lot of questioning if she’s telling the truth because that also is pretty sh—t and changes everything it’s a messed up situation for everyone involved But I wanted people to really think that I could have shot Ellie and Bella really had to act that way Ellie ultimately proves her immunity to Dina and the two proceed to passionately show their love for one another Dina admitted that she doesn’t see him as “the one” and was forced to hide being bisexual growing up “I think with acceptance of feelings for Ellie naturally comes her acknowledgement of her relationship with Jesse and sort of a mourning for what she thought it would be or could be I was really just forcing myself into complicit heterosexuality’,” Merced said “I think she also did care for Jesse genuinely and that’s confusing for her because bisexual is not a word that she even knows.” “They don’t know what the LGBTQIA+ community is They were in Seattle and in a literal gay community and were like they must have been a bunch of optimists.’ So they were just really out of the loop,” she added “Every time she does accept her feelings for Ellie she feels conflicted when it comes to her experience with Jesse.” Merced praised both co-creator and executive producer Craig Mazin and co-executive producer and writer Halley Gross who was a co-writer on “The Last of Us: Part II,” for making Dina and Ellie’s relationship so relatable and expanding upon the idea that sexuality is a spectrum “People are really multifaceted and fascinating and layered and I love how Craig Mazin writes and how Halley Gross really expanded upon that and made these two women in a really believable sapphic relationship,” she said “I have to thank Halley a lot for Dina.” “The Last of Us” airs new episodes Sundays on HBO and Max Powered by This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Merced and director Kate Herron unpack Dina's big news and bringing queer joy to a world like "The Last of Us." 2025Courtesy of HBOSave this storySaveSave this storySave“What the fuck is wrong with Seattle?” It’s a fair question for Dina (Isabela Merced) to ask in Sunday’s jam-packed—and gory—episode of The Last of Us Dina and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) discover two separate groups of dead bodies including soldiers with their guts literally hanging out; escape a horde of zombies in the subway system; and have to cope with Ellie taking a bite to protect Dina and Dina subsequently preparing to kill Ellie not knowing that Ellie is actually immune to cordyceps They also see their relationship completely change As a fan of the video game on which the series is based Merced was eagerly anticipating many of the events that play out in Sunday’s episode—and she’s even more thrilled with some of the tweaks made by the creative team she digs into “Day One,” including why she wanted the audience to be as conflicted as Dina and the big moment in which she struggled to hold back Vanity Fair: This is only your fourth episode on the show and you’ve already had a surrogate father killed Did you realize how fast things would move for Dina So much happened in this episode because last episode was the grieving episode and each time I felt there were more lines I noticed Ellie sort of becoming Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Dina sort of becoming Ellie from the first season she and Ellie have already known each other for years The chemistry between you and Bella has to show that they’ve got a deep bond Did you and Bella have to work toward finding this dynamic The camera test was the first time where I felt like we were Ellie and Dina Camera tests usually suck—they’re so awkward I got really lucky because I don’t think my performance would’ve been as good if it weren’t for Bella You mentioned Ellie starting to become like Joel Do you feel like you’re helping usher Last of Us into the new version of itself when I played it; it was a whole other mood It’s part of one big story with at least nine acts and three central characters I was ready for the shift because I was a huge fan of the game and how they executed it And a lot of this storyline is thanks to [Last of Us series and game writer] Halley Gross who brought Dina and Ellie’s relationship and romance to life Dina was not present for Joel’s death—Tommy (Gabriel Luna) was What do you think substituting her in added to the sequence on the series It showed Tommy being more of a community-centered individual we already established their relationship in the first episode and gives more incentive for Dina to want to avenge him And we will learn more about why Dina is so gung ho to go to Seattle I think that’ll be really interesting to viewers and help build a bigger picture I really like the change because it makes Dina feel more fleshed out Since you weren’t involved in the big Jackson invasion in episode two the chase through the subway system was your introduction to the zombies What was it like to get down and dirty like that The stalkers and infected are basically stunt actors who can dance and are just really aware of their own body movements and autonomy because there were a lot of times where we were figuring stuff out beginning with the incorporating of the crouch [movement] from the game and counting the number of infected which is a callback to the first episode—but with much more dire consequences I call it the “subway surfer sequence,” because it feels like we are on top of the subway playing the game and Dina is seemingly prepared to kill Ellie Do you think Dina was really ready to pull the trigger I really wanted people to think that I could potentially shoot Ellie in the face—and I also wanted people to feel conflicted with me and those factors all contributed to something that I’m not.” Was this near-death experience what Dina needed to realize who and what she wants and then feeling guilty about her baby daddy and how shitty and complicated that situation would work out with being in love with Ellie I don’t think she knows that you can be bisexual—I don’t think she even knows the word and the danger she’s putting her baby in—but I also think she doesn’t really care because she’s just so devoted to the cause This sequence didn’t carry out like that in the game I could really see the love in Dina’s eyes earlier in the episode during Ellie’s performance of “Take On Me.” What were you aiming to convey there And Bella’s voice just being angelic and pure and also it being a moment of happy grieving I think that could be up for interpretation and I don’t actually know which one they chose But there was a version where I was sad because of Joel and knowing that the reason I love Joel is because I love Ellie and the reason I love Ellie is because I love Joel And then there was another version where maybe it’s just Dina being scared—like so it’s terrifying and complicates everything but maybe not even quite knowing what that means I got a chuckle out of Dina and Ellie not understanding the rainbows But then I started thinking—these two have grown up entirely in a zombie apocalypse Was that something that you thought about in your approach to the character and this relationship I think it contributed to her confusion about sexuality and what it could be because you wonder what they’re missing out on—and the preciousness of the inclusion they could feel And maybe a solution to them feeling like outcasts where Dina is conforming and Ellie is accepting that she’s not like the other residents of Jackson [Laughs] I feel like this was the appetizer I can’t believe I’ve ever been interviewed professionally And they’re still holding secrets from each other so now that they’re this much more comfortable it’ll be fascinating for them to actually reveal their cards and evolve as characters together And maybe some other characters coming back and complicating things but what’s been the experience so far stepping into this universe and its insanely passionate fan base I don’t think I’ve ever seen somebody do a drag show based off of the IP that I was a part of There’s a whole drag community for The Last of Us; it’s got a big gay fan base And everybody just wants me to get them a “hi” from Pedro and your upcoming debut as Hawkgirl in Superman You just don’t want the train to ever stop Live Updates From the 2025 Met Gala See All the Fashion, Outfits, and Looks on the Met Gala Red Carpet Plus, Who Made VF’s Best-Dressed List Kim Kardashian Dons Sleek The Met Gala’s Tailored for You Theme Winners: Who Did It Best Diana Ross Returns to the Red Carpet With an 18-Foot Train Everything to Know About the 2025 Met Gala Watch the Met Gala Livestream Designer Prabal Gurung Recalls His First Met Gala Revisit the Most Unforgettable Met Gala Looks of All Time this summer’s Superman) spoke about the deep connection that’s building between the women Speaking to Variety Merced explained that the two are helping each other get through all the trauma they’ve experienced—and continue to experience living in The Last of Us‘ dangerous world it’s like she suddenly is able to access the joy that she once felt,” Merced explained “I also think Dina’s helping Ellie grieve in a way—but also Ellie’s helping Dina grieve I think Dina’s redirecting her grief and putting it on Ellie and being like She said she appreciated the romance is “slow burn,” in contrast to The Last of Us game but she was glad the HBO show did keep the “Take on Me” scene from the source material because of the set design being so beautiful and it feeling a really truly sweet and tender moment in the show after so much darkness and loss So I was very emotional that day,” Merced explained “I noticed when watching it recently that there was a switch from the loving look to a sadness in my eyes I was trying to remember what I was thinking and I think it was just like I wanted to incorporate that Dina isn’t fearless and throughout the episode you learn that she can’t But I wanted to give people a glimpse into that Speaking to the Hollywood Reporter Merced reflected on what it was like filming the first sex scene between Ellie and Dina “This is a really necessary step in their relationship It’s also just like really hot to me because it’s like the culmination of all of these feelings and secrets all just being let out in one moment,” she said but that’s not how it was behind the scenes “It may seem passionate and in-the-moment and we were really intentional about every single thing that was a part of that sequence because we wanted to make sure none of the characters were doing anything that was out of character.” New episodes of The Last of Us hit HBO and Max on Sundays ' + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text + ' " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title + " " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text + " The Last of Us star Isabela Merced has confirmed that she is part of the LGBTQ+ community The Last of Us star Isabela Merced has reflected on creating season two’s sapphic romance plot and confirmed that she identifies as part of the LGBTQ+ community Spoiler alert: this article contains spoilers for The Last of Us season two In “One Day”, the fourth episode in season two of HBO’s The Last of Us, the blossoming romance between Ellie (Bella Ramsey) and Dina (Isabela Merced) finally takes centre stage As with almost every episode of the post-apocalyptic drama to date “One Day” walks a fine line between heart-pumping action and tear-jerking sentimentality Ellie and Dina end up in an abandoned subway station crawling through an old carriage as a horde of Infected smash through the windows Ellie has to thrust out her arm for an Infected to gnaw on in order to save Dina who A tear-stained Dina confronts Ellie with her pistol believing that she could turn at any moment while Dina reveals that she is pregnant with Jessie’s (Young Mazino) baby The pair then confess their feelings for one another, and proceed to have sex for the first time, in a scene that differs slightly from the source material of the Naughty Dog video game Speaking about creating the sex scene, Isabela Merced told Variety that working with an intimacy coordinator made the moment feel “really comfortable” “I think what we wanted to make sure was that more than anything there was some sort of consent in the scene because they’re obviously both in very vulnerable positions So we were very detailed about that scene,” she reflected “We wanted it to be emotional and charged but also smart and show their relationship and how it’s going to change now that this barrier has been broken I wanted Dina to be the one to unzip her own pants take Ellie’s hand and actively guide it down her body Because even though Ellie is technically the one who’s on top I think it’s showing they both have agency in this decision to take it to the next step The Madame Web actress went on to explain that the dynamic between Ellie and Dina has been fortified by the fact that she and Ramsey are themselves close “I think everything felt so tender that day Bella and I were just so comfortable with each other we both have experience in queer relationships — you can just tell when a girl hasn’t kissed a girl before “So both of us were already fine and comfortable We added some kisses that weren’t in the original script.” While reflecting on Ellie and Dina taking their romance to the next level in episode four, Isabela Merced confirmed that she identifies as LGBTQ+ “No one actually thinks I’m queer, which is fine. I don’t really care. I’m an actor, so I can play anyone, right? But for it to mean so much to me personally is great and grand,” she told Variety about seeing sapphic representation in The Last of Us “I just think about people from my hometown who maybe have never seen this side of me watching this and really getting to know me in a way and understanding me and them really seeing it on a large scale.” After the pair have sex for the first time Dina opens up to Ellie about trying to come out as bisexual to her mother before she died Speaking to Entertainment Weekly about the moving scene The Last of Us showrunner] is not a queer individual “I don’t think it’s so clear cut it was important to show the contest within her In this world where it doesn’t really exist she’s navigating it blind with no guidance She probably doesn’t even know the word bisexual.” The Last of Us season two airs on Sundays on HBO in the US and Mondays on NOW in the UK.Share your thoughts and remember to keep the conversation respectful About us Contact us Advertise Work for us Terms and conditions Privacy policy Merced not only opened up about the show’s LGBTQ+ representation but what it felt for her to be able to embody a queer character Merced also said that she and Ramsey “added some kisses that weren’t in the original script” and just “based off of our comfortability with each other.” When speaking about playing a queer character from a major video game series Variety also asked Merced what it meant to her as a queer actor to see such a powerful genuine and heartfelt representation of a queer relationship on the show But for it to mean so much to me personally is great and grand.” “That’s what was so cool about the game and the source material: It was really ahead of its time although we have to thank a lot of the lesbian love story to Halley Gross who was brought in for the second game and really was an advocate for Ellie and Dina’s relationship and really took lead when it came to the physicality and the romance of it,” Merced said Gross has previously spoken about the relationship between Dina and Ellie while doing press for The Last of Us Part II the video game sequel that serves as the basis of the second season of the hit HBO show “Ellie is the badass bitch who can do anything,” Gross told the Los Angeles Times I think you want to see opposites that can exist in harmony within a person Get the best of what’s queer. Sign up for Them’s weekly newsletter here. Put down the flashlight and stop exploring if you haven't watched "Day One," the May 4 episode of "The Last of Us." Spoilers lie ahead (While not every single pregnant person has morning sickness film and TV fans know it's the surefire way to express that someone is pregnant if you just keep making them puke on-screen.) Off-screen after she and Ellie escape a Washington Liberation Front squad and get attacked by infected cordyceps zombies In an interview with Entertainment Weekly Merced discussed the major differences between this moment on screen and how it plays out in the game "The Last of Us Part II." In that game so it takes place earlier in the narrative and Dina learns about Ellie's immunity because of spores the pregnancy reveal is different; it happens after Ellie gives Dina her gas mask to protect her from said floating cordyceps spores thinks the show's version is a little more amped up "I think it's more of an intense sequence," she told Entertainment Weekly She finds out in a completely different setting and it's too fast so she doesn't really get to fully process it." As Dina waits to see what happens to Ellie "I was able to ramp myself up because the scene starts in an already emotionally charged place I was kind of nervous to get myself there and then stay there throughout the whole day every take my face was hidden," Merced said and we were very smart and careful with the choreography of the lantern versus the flashlight versus the walk and the speed I always had to end up at the same point right before I tell her that I'm pregnant the episode's director Kate Herron brought a saying from the game (and the first season of "The Last of Us") into focus: specifically this refers to Dina's flashlight that she keeps focused on Ellie until she can be sure that her best friend — and the person she truly loves — won't turn into an infected zombie "I wanted it to feel like we were as in the dark as Ellie was on how Dina felt in that moment," Herron said so when the scene does have that turn and they kiss This all ties back to Dina and Ellie's blossoming love which initially became a possibility in the season 2 premiere "Future Days" after the two share a kiss at Jackson's New Years celebration (It's also important to note that both Herron and Merced do identify as queer women which helps this particular episode's perspective represent Dina's experience honestly.) Still Merced thinks Dina's approach is simple: Ellie is the person she loves We see her lack of knowledge about queer symbols and imagery elsewhere in "Day One," when the two encounter rainbows throughout Seattle and wonder if they were just painted by optimists "I don't think it's so clear cut," Merced explained speaking to the fact that Dina has been closeted for much of her life after attempting to come out to her mother — something she shares with Ellie in this episode — and spending time in relationships with men like Jesse (Young Mazino) whereas Ellie's way more assured," the actress continued In this world where it doesn't really exist she's navigating it blind with no guidance She probably doesn't even know the word bisexual There's really no such thing as labels here I don't even know if she thinks it's an option Season 2 of "The Last of Us" continues on Sunday nights at 9 P.M. EST on HBO and Max. Subscribe to BuzzFeed Daily NewsletterCaret Down"The Last Of Us" Included A Stunning Performance From Isabela Merced This Week And Everyone Has The Same Perfect ReactionsIsabela Merced 🚨 There are massive — and I mean MASSIVE — spoilers ahead for The Last of Us Season 2 Editor's Note: While we can't endorse what X has become we can bring you the worthwhile moments that still exist there isabela merced has been crushing it as dina since episode 1, but episode 4 is HER episode. every nuanced look, every piece of dialogue, everything she has poured into this character has been amazing to watch. this was THE dina episode and she nailed it. i'm so happy #thelastofus pic.twitter.com/TNQdCOtOoB Joel celebrating in the afterlife when he saw Ellie and Dina finally together #TheLastofUs pic.twitter.com/qBUuYZIYnR ellie saying she is gonna be a dad is my new favourite thing ever pic.twitter.com/ty1vXyn6DV pedro whenever he gets a role: https://t.co/NOlgsZiSkL the amount of pregnancy tests she just whipped out in this scene literally made me crack tf up i expected like 2 😭 pic.twitter.com/ovlUBxoXSH bringing this back to the timeline now because yes, isabela merced was meant to be live action dina #thelastofus pic.twitter.com/A41RwYdx1E "what the fuck is wrong with seattle?" dina we both agree #TheLastOfUs pic.twitter.com/BLLdKpgjUu ISAAC IS WEARING HIS SAME SHIRT FROM THE GAME I LOVE THE DETAILS #TheLastOfUs pic.twitter.com/Fu7SHqIFSb Isabela Merced: “We both have experience in queer relationships you can just tell when a girl hasn't kissed a girl before…We added some kisses that weren't in the original script”you could tell they knew what they were doing, thanks for choosing queer actresses!! #TheLastOfUs pic.twitter.com/RiuEy2mB5h dina’s sexuality arc is so special to me i’m sorry. what she felt and went through is so real and relatable, i’m glad they’re putting it out there and actually acknowledging instead of just moving on #TheLastOfUspic.twitter.com/d7oHnugCMA Your Ads Privacy ChoicesIMDb As The Last of Us returns for its second season the newest cast member stepping into the controversial role of Abby Following their critically acclaimed role in The Last of Us See every red carpet look from fashion's biggest night See who showed some skin at the 2025 Met Gala like Sabrina Carpenter and Emma Chamberlain The actor made a bold chop for the 2025 Met Gala carpet Take a look at the best dressed celebrities from the 2025 Met Gala The Blackpink star and Chanel muse turned heads with a jumpsuit that some are calling her most stunning Met Gala look yet The rapper has quickly become a fashion favorite—and at the 2025 Met Gala she cemented her status as the night’s breakout style star The Formula 1 driver took his talents from the race track to the red carpet to co-chair tonight's event "It was f---ing wild!" the actress tells EW of shooting the intense sequence Best Dressed at Met Gala 2025 - Top 32 Red Carpet Looks Revealed! Rihanna Pregnant, Expecting Baby No. 3 With A$AP Rocky! Every Celeb at Met Gala 2025 - See All Red Carpet Photos & Full Guest List (Updating Live All Night) Warning: This post contains spoilers from the most recent episode of The Last of Us season two Isabela Merced is speaking out about the fourth episode of The Last of Us The 23-year-old actress stars in season two of the HBO adaptation as Dina, who develops a romantic relationship with Bella Ramsey‘s Ellie “find themselves amid a brutal battle between the zealous Seraphites and a ruthless militia.” Dina reveals to Ellie that she is pregnant Isabela opened up about the two big moments in new interviews about the episode “That shows how devoted she is to the people she loves She also touched on Dina’s admittance that maybe Jesse isn’t the one “I think with acceptance of feelings for Ellie naturally comes her acknowledgement of her relationship with Jesse I was really just forcing myself into complicit heterosexuality’,” Isabela told the publication “I think she also did care for Jesse genuinely and that’s confusing for her because bisexual is not a word that she even knows.” “They don’t know what the LGBTQIA+ community is they must have been a bunch of optimists.’ So they were just really out of the loop,” she continued “Every time she does accept her feelings for Ellie she feels conflicted when it comes to her experience with Jesse.” Isabela noted that she liked the slow burn of their relationship “I appreciated it so much because you just don’t really get that a lot in sapphic content I think a lot of people over sexualize sapphic content in film — media “So I’m really glad that it was slow burn I’m glad that it was tasteful and potentially I really think that we lack that…and I think it’s important for young queer people to see that.” As for how this impacts them moving forward “I would say they’re on a different level completely because it’ll hurt that much more to lose the other person Last year, Isabela teased a scene in the season that would “be on everyone’s Twitter feed.” through a music shop — in which we get one of the most iconic in-game moments from The Last of Us: Part II — before they descend into the old subway system while on the run from a pack of Wolves the tunnels happen to contain a horde of infected; they barely escape with their lives but not before Ellie is bitten while shielding Dina from herself getting chomped and that she will have to be the executioner but these feelings soon give way for relief when she is convinced of Ellie's immunological gift seemingly inspired by their close call — plus the revelation of Dina's hidden pregnancy — Ellie and Dina hook up then and there finally expressing their love for one another It's a variously gripping, terrifying and beautiful episode, elevated by Ramsey and Merced's powerhouse performances; it also serves as object proof, should you need it, that Ramsey and Co. can ably step up in the absence of Pedro Pascal Merced talks to GQ about shooting one of The Last of Us: Part II's most beloved (optional) scenes and why shooting the episode's breakneck climax was like being in Subway Surfers IRL GQ: What goes into building the sort of on-screen chemistry with a fellow actor that makes a relationship like Ellie and Dina's feel as genuine as it does Isabela Mercred: Bella's just someone that makes me feel really safe because of the dedication and comfort I felt I was able to open up my heart to access this character It wouldn't have been the same with any other actor we created a secret language with hand signals and sometimes it wasn't safe enough to communicate verbally So we'd communicate with our own little language You played The Last of Us: Part II before you filmed the show Were there any particular moments for Ellie and Dina that you were excited to shoot It was the music shop scene where Ellie's singing to me And I think what's really beautiful about that is it was a bonus scene in the game the way they showed Dina's reaction to Ellie playing Unsurprisingly, that's one of the moments in the episode I was going to ask about. What was it like to be in the room for Bella's performance? I mean, Bella is such a gifted singer, and a guitar player, but what's interesting is Ellie isn't really a singer, so I had to watch Bella dumb down the amazing singing skills they have. They were like, “Can you do that, but a little worse?” Bella had an earpiece and would be playing along to a track, but all of it was live, and just beautiful to witness. The setup was perfect, and so romantic. That scene was so beautiful and magical, and it reminded me of when we shot the New Year's scene at the dance; again, another very musical sequence, I guess music just does that to me, and everyone. But it was hard for not to cry. They kept telling me, “Please don't cry so early on, if you're gonna cry, save it to the end.” But it was so hard. I'm such an emotional person with easy access to my crying abilities. It's harder for me not to. When I first played the game, I was mostly tapped into Ellie's revenge story. But watching this season, it has made me realise just how much it's also a love story, right? And episode four feels like the epitome of that. Not least when Dina expresses her reciprocated love. When you're able to compartmentalise your thoughts in that way, it's a little bit harder to access them. Wow, there's so much she's holding back. She can't even tell Ellie [about the pregnancy], she can't even admit it to herself. When she says, “I'm pregnant,” it's the first time she says it. And then she sorts through her bag, and there are like, ten different positive pregnancy tests. It's really lovely writing to have that be the reason they kiss — it's like a release. That was my goal, in that scene, the word resounding in my head was “release”. Finally the exhaustion of holding something in for so long, the love for Ellie, the pain, the pregnancy, the fear, the vulnerability, it's suddenly released. And that to me makes a sexy scene, as well. I don't think Dina would've done it. I really believe that. I just think she was scared, so scared. It was interesting having to embody that. That scene was so intense. It was really hard to switch out of. That took a lot out of me. I was holding the gun so tight, my arms were shaking naturally. It hurt to hold the gun up for so long. But preceding that moment, there are two big action sequences: you're hunted down by the Wolves, and then there's the infected chase in the subway. Well, that stunt where we're running on the train, there was a camera operator [called] Robin, the sweetest little grumpy guy, and he was attached to this kind of diaper rig; he looked like a baby in a [baby bouncer]. And he was just like, gliding along, feet in the air, just flying. And we're on harnesses, and we're like, running and sprinting over these trains. It felt like Subway Surfers! And then we had to climb that fence. The adrenaline must've been crazy. You know you're not really being chased by infected people, but that's still people in makeup — it's like being in a horror house, I imagine. We'd make sure to communicate, like, “Are you down to do that?” We'd do our signal, and then we both as a team would come together. There's a lot of allyship in this. If someone wasn't comfortable doing something, we made sure that both of us knew, and both of us presented it as a yes or a no. The Last of Us season two is now available to stream on NOW, and airs on Sky Atlantic at 2 a.m. on Mondays. co-creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann thankfully cemented their romantic relationship with this cycle’s fourth installment that came complete with a tweaked version of the video game’s sex scene that fans were disappointed didn’t happen when Eugene’s grow room was introduced And the fact that their late-night loving was prefaced by Dina’s pregnancy reveal only made it more meaningful Let’s see what others had to say about it all Despite giving audiences plenty of moments that come straight out of the video game HBO's The Last of Us held off on Ellie and Dina consummating their romantic connection until the pair reached the all-important theater that serves as a key hub in the source material But after all the stress of Ellie having to explain her immunity it felt like the perfect time for the characters to engage in whatever kind of relief was available was some lustful smooching as they rounded second base Not that this series went all hardcore with graphic nudity the way that Bella Ramsey's former HBO series Game of Thrones did for years on end But that didn't stop fans from reacting in huge ways to it all I'm not exactly sure how a televised sex scene could properly be put onto a fan's grave at least at our current point in history where tombstones don't come equipped with media players But I kinda like the idea of someone leaving a cell phone atop the grave with that scene playing in a loop I kinda left out the more extreme posts where fans inserted themselves into the action instead of one of the characters or where the sex was championed outside of the context of the characters' relationship I obviously also avoided giving haters any attention since they can all make time for themselves But outside the scope of carnal stress relief viewers were also vocal about the ups and downs that took place during Dina and Ellie's trip to Seattle from the aforementioned reveal to the TV station sequence to Ellie seemingly sacrificing herself Along with a hefty dose of unbridled adoration for Isabela Merced in general And I'd be remiss if I didn't also share a little love for Bella Ramsey and their applause worthy performance of A-ha's "Take On Me," a scene whose impact definitely rivaled that of the game Now let's check out what one-half of that beloved coupling had to say about it all Merced shared her explanation for why Dina and Ellie are so compatible they are similar in the right ways and then they are different in the right ways There are similarities that bring them together but their differences keep them together because they compensate for what the other lacks and this this operation wouldn’t work if they weren’t together what keeps them together is the need for vengeance for Joel’s death and there’s a lot of guilt there too Dina feels guilt about things going down exactly the way they did and feels that her character could have changed something that might have led to an outcome where Joel wasn't murdered such regrets don't have a home in the post-apocalypse the actress also has very high regard for her and Bella Ramsey's sex scene and shared why she thought it was hot in and of itself this is a really necessary step in their relationship It’s also just like really hot to me because it’s like the culmination of all of these feelings and secrets all just being let out in one moment because we wanted to make sure none of the characters were doing anything that was out of character If it wasn't the most natural turn of events that's probably because discoveries about immunity and pregnancy aren't the most natural ways to get one's libido revved up and rolling Dina's pregnancy admission being followed by love and passion is a direct flip from how it played out in the game to the point where she called Dina a burden for being a liability Learn where The Last of Us will go next when Episode 5 hits HBO on Sunday, May 11, with just three more eps left to hit the 2025 TV schedule Nick VenableSocial Links NavigationAssistant Managing EditorNick is a Cajun Country native and an Assistant Managing Editor with a focus on TV and features His humble origin story with CinemaBlend began all the way back in the pre-streaming era as a freelancing DVD reviewer and TV recapper  Nick leapfrogged over to the small screen to cover more and more television news and interviews eventually taking over the section for the current era and covering topics like Yellowstone Born in Louisiana and currently living in Texas — Who Dat Nation over America’s Team all day all night — Nick spent several years in the hospitality industry If you ever happened to hear his music or read his comics/short stories you will then be prompted to enter your display name Baby’: Amid Shannon Sharpe’s Sexual Assault Lawsuit Mo’Nique Doesn’t Hold Back On Him For Not Following Advice She Gave Him Over A Year Ago How Bill Belichick's 24-Year-Old Girlfriend Allegedly ‘Forced Her Way In’ To Ben And Casey Affleck’s Dunkin' Super Bowl Ad Watch James Gunn’s Dog Go Crazy Watching Superman’s Krypto (Which Was Totally Based Off Him) Isabela Merced's nuanced portrayal of Dina in *The Last of Us* season 2 is praised for its authenticity showcasing a complex LGBTQ+ relationship and highlighting the character's resilience amidst a post-apocalyptic world HBO's The Last of Us Season 2 has captivated audiences and a significant part of its success lies in the compelling portrayal of Dina This article delves into Merced's performance and the impact of Dina on the show's narrative “I didn’t expect it to be this big of a role,” but quickly understood Dina's importance as a counterbalance to Ellie's intense grief and rage The character serves as a grounding presence humanizing Ellie’s descent into vengeance while preserving her vulnerability The chemistry between Merced and Bella Ramsey (Ellie) is palpable a testament to their on-screen bond that quickly developed despite limited rehearsal time due to scheduling conflicts "Day One," where their feelings culminate in an intimate scene Merced emphasizes the collaborative effort with the intimacy coordinator to ensure the moment felt "real is a powerful testament to the show’s commitment to representing LGBTQ+ relationships honestly Merced's portrayal of Dina transcends mere representation She sees Dina as a "clean slate" for the TV adaptation allowing for a fresh interpretation of the character She highlights Dina's sunny disposition as a contrast to Ellie's darkness but this cheerfulness doesn't diminish her sharp wit and survival skills Their relationship is based on both similarities and differences: "Dina is the brains and Ellie is the brawn," Merced explains Dina's decision to continue the revenge quest despite her pregnancy is a pivotal point Merced reveals that later episodes provide further context showcasing Dina's personal motivations and drawing parallels to the strength and resilience of motherhood The intimate scene between Ellie and Dina is a significant milestone handled with sensitivity and intentionality Merced addresses online discussions about Dina's sexuality emphasizing the importance of allowing characters to explore their identities authentically Merced's commitment extends beyond acting including VFX meetings and editing sessions This experience profoundly impacted her understanding of filmmaking She learned the value of meticulous work and the importance of every detail "That there’s no such thing as doing too many takes." Observing Pedro Pascal's work in the editing room further enhanced her appreciation for acting Merced's passion extends beyond her role; she actively seeks to understand and contribute to the entire creative process which is evident in her thoughtful discussions about Dina's character and relationship with Ellie Isabela Merced's portrayal of Dina is a triumph and thoughtful engagement with the role have brought a complex and relatable character to life Merced’s performance showcases not just a strong LGBTQ+ representation but also a universal story of grief even in the face of a post-apocalyptic world Her performance resonates deeply with viewers solidifying her as a key element in The Last of Us's success This nuanced portrayal of Dina is a significant achievement in television demonstrating the power of authentic representation and compelling storytelling Isabela Merced portrays Dina in the second season of HBO's The Last of Us Her performance has been praised for its authenticity and emotional depth Dina is a significant LGBTQ+ character in the show Her relationship with another character is a central storyline and she displays remarkable resilience in the post-apocalyptic setting Merced's portrayal of Dina is lauded as powerful Critics highlight her ability to convey Dina's strength and vulnerability and resilience within the harsh realities of a post-apocalyptic world Her LGBTQ+ identity is a significant aspect of her character Critics overwhelmingly praise Isabela Merced's acting skills in portraying Dina commending her powerful performance and ability to portray a complex character with authenticity Dina's relationship is a crucial part of the plot in The Last of Us Season 2 offering an important LGBTQ+ relationship within a post-apocalyptic survival story Her performance brings depth and authenticity to Dina’s complex character She successfully portrays both the character’s strength and vulnerability The Last of Us Season 2 is available to stream on HBO and HBO Max The show features Isabela Merced's acclaimed performance as Dina Dina faces many survival challenges typical of a post-apocalyptic setting while also navigating her complex personal relationships Dina's portrayal offers positive LGBTQ+ representation showcasing a complex and well-developed character within a main narrative rather than a side plot This contributes to increased visibility and positive representation All trademarks are the property of their respective owners All rights reserved @ 2025 Nishtya Infotech (India) Ltd May 05, 2025: When The Last of Us creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann first met with Isabela Merced they didn’t tell her the role they had in mind Though Merced was familiar with The Last of Us Part II — the video game that serves as the foundation for Season 2 of HBO’s hit series — she had no clue she would be cast as Dina Ellie’s best friend and eventual love interest “I just thought we were getting to know each other,” Merced recalled in a recent interview Though she received only one script at a time Merced eventually realized Dina had been elevated to a co-lead alongside Bella Ramsey’s Ellie It made sense to her: “Dina’s sort of a clean slate This gave the writers creative room to evolve her character and ease the transition from game to screen Dina becomes a beacon of joy in Ellie’s increasingly tragic and violent world especially after Abby (Kaitlyn Dever) murders Joel (Pedro Pascal) in a brutal act of revenge Ellie’s really fucked up and angry,” Merced said it’s like she suddenly is able to access the joy that she once felt.” In the standout episode “Day One,” written by Mazin and directed by Kate Herron Dina learns Ellie is immune to the cordyceps infection The two finally confess their feelings and share an intimate moment Dina reveals she’s pregnant — her former partner Jesse (Young Mazino) is the father — and expresses fear about the future vanishing when she believed Ellie had been infected this future I was imagining wasn’t going to happen — where we’re together and have a kid,” Dina tells Ellie The episode doesn’t shy away from violence either Ellie is bitten at the end of an intense sequence filled with elaborate stunts and battles against both the Wolves and a horde of infected in a subway tunnel The two also stumble upon the grotesque aftermath of a Scar ambush — a room of lynched Ellie and Dina stand on the rooftop of the abandoned theater that has become their safe haven says “together,” and they hold hands — the screen fading on their shared determination Behind the Scenes with Merced: Queer Representation and Connection Isabela Merced began acting as a child and is known for roles in Dora and the Lost City of Gold (2019) and Alien: Romulus (2024) she spoke candidly about the importance of LGBTQ representation on the show and the experience of filming vulnerable moments with Ramsey The pair worked closely with the show’s intimacy coordinator and even developed a “secret sign language” to stay connected during intense scenes especially the adrenaline-pumping subway fight the show is more than just a post-apocalyptic drama — it’s a platform for powerful storytelling and in-depth analysis from around the world Your trusted source for unbiased and timely updates Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker As HBO’s adaptation of the groundbreaking video game The Last of Us gets deeper into the lore and characters with season and Ariela Barer gathered for a screening of episode 3 which follows a huge change in the narrative The cast was joined by Complex host Kylie Mar to not only discuss the wide cultural impact of the series but also how the series bolsters Latino representation and conversation drives impact,” said Merced “This screening wasn’t just about watching an episode—it was about experiencing it and deepening the cultural conversation around storytelling that moves people.” “Storytelling has the power to bring people together “This series has never been just about survival—it’s about connection Events like this remind us how deeply audiences relate to these characters and their journeys.” Merced also sent a message out to the queer fans of The Last of Us: Watch new episodes of The Last of Us Sundays on HBO and Max GLAAD’s Director of Communications and Transgender Advocacy GLAAD tackles tough issues to shape the narrative and provoke dialogue that leads to cultural change About Photo #5152515: Warning: This post contains spoilers from the most recent episode of The Last of Us season two! Isabela Merced is speaking out about the fourth episode of The…Read More Here Things you buy through our links may earn Vox Media a commission playful spirit that suggests one can still feel butterflies for a crush amid the carnage of a zombie apocalypse and her ability to bring all these things to the (literal) table is only possible because of a key departure from the show’s source material in episode two which swaps the patrol pairs from the game and places Dina with Joel when he’s killed “I just wanted to make sure I was in that ride-or-die mentality.” says Merced about playing Dina during and after Joel’s death “I didn’t want anyone to question Dina’s loyalty to Ellie.” As episode three picks up in the aftermath this expansion of Dina’s role begins to quietly reshape the story positioning the character as a crucial anchor for Ellie’s journey moving forward and hinting at more deviations to come You bring a lot of refreshing comedy to this character How did you prepare to play Dina?My first impression of Dina was from playing the game and watching some of the first season and picking up on the comedy that’s infused there Playing the game gave me the most insight into her without even knowing I was up for that specific role at the time and to pull as much as I could from Shannon Woodward’s performance From there I had to learn to really trust myself and trust that Craig and Neil trusted me and felt like they were making the right decision So you started playing the game before you knew you’d be playing Dina What was the process of getting the role?I got a weird phone call We don’t know which character.” So I watched the show blindly thinking this would be for a more minor character When we had the meeting it was very obvious that they were talking about Dina I started playing the second game because of that How soon after that meeting did you find out you got the part?It was a week after that meeting Mary Vernieu is the casting director who suggested me to Craig Were you instructed to play the character as closely to the game as possible or were there elements you wanted to bring to the character that weren’t part of the source material Do I do my research?” And Craig would be like no.” People would tell him they played the game and he’d go “I wish you didn’t do that.” But everyone has their own process Not everyone has to take the same classes and the same tests to get the same degree I enjoyed having the opportunity to watch Shannon Woodward’s performance because I wasn’t really worried about doing a copy-paste version and I had confidence as a performer to bring enough of myself to the table to give a refreshing take for audiences that might want something a little different The show expands on Joel and Dina’s relationship Did you and Pedro talk about establishing that relationship onscreen we didn’t really get a chance to build a relationship but there was a lot of chemistry and that speaks to good writing and good casting He literally came in from winning an award the day before — I forget which — and then we just started filming I think he was memorizing his lines on the plane over it all represents him being yet another surrogate father for a young woman and him constantly seeking that father-daughter connection that he lost in anyone around him And that’s why he tells Gail in the therapy session Dina’s like my kid.” It is really interesting to have that perspective looking back and now knowing that and Dina steps into where Ellie was in the first season How did you prepare for the significance of that and what that shift would mean for Dina’s character It gives her more incentive to go to Seattle and it makes it more of a delicate situation and in this episode Dina is a huge reason Ellie is able to go I wanted to make sure I was in that ride-or-die mentality I didn’t want anyone to question Dina’s loyalty to Ellie because it makes it all the more devastating in the end I also think it’s really important to have Dina there because she thinks she has an understanding of the situation when she really doesn’t It was really clever of the writers to have her be passed out but present enough that in the initial parts of the scene There’s also this rumor being spread around that I wasn’t actually there for the filming of that scene where Joel is unalived and I wanted to dispel that here right now People thought I went to Superman while they were filming this scene because it took a week to film; they thought I just left and they had a body double sit in for me but every time I wasn’t on-camera and I didn’t need to be seen and then my body double would be there just for eye lines for people I don’t know why people start random rumors about that Dina being there for Joel’s death also means that the sex scene in the game does not happen at the same point in the show This really slows down the development of Dina and Ellie’s relationship Did you and Bella talk about sitting in that “what are we” tension that’s such a big part of episode three We were really worried about the balance between the grief and also the moments of joy and love and how they’re all love being expressed in different ways Sometimes when you feel too much joy after you’re grieving I think they both have a lot of trepidation when it comes to admitting to it and it’s kind of like the last thing on their minds but it’s also undeniably right in front of them They have a really good excuse not to talk about it And that’s why in that first scene in episode three I know their names and I have a plan.” That was really important That scene is also the first time Dina and Ellie see each other after Ellie gets out of the hospital Did you shoot that before or after shooting Joel’s death but we ended up reshooting that scene because of the choreography When we were initially filming episode three “I don’t think there’s anything we need to change really except for where we’re sat.” It changed everything You see the cookies being slid across the table It wasn’t as compelling as us being on opposite sides of the table Dina also reveals a little bit more in the initial version they wanted less information or for the information to be more vague because there’s no way Dina would’ve processed all of that with frostbite and meeting all these new people and getting drugged and being under extreme stress I was going to cut all my hair off after the season ended because I would’ve just had a wig on during that day having gone through the whole journey already and then bringing us back I think I had a patience and understanding of Ellie’s character after the fact and it actually really helped with the scene the way we redid it In the scene at the table they’re being very mature and serious but they become more playful again on the road and the tension comes back in a bigger way when they’re in the tent Was there ever a version of their time in the tent that was more intimate?Yeah The most difficult part of that scene was the timing of turning the lamp on and off That was a huge prop in the scene and added to its playfulness But there was a version where Ellie was fully checking Dina out You obviously want that fun playfulness and relatability and I think they were right to get rid of that and leave us wanting more I’m actually glad they got rid of the weed scene But I really appreciate the care being put into this sapphic relationships in media are overly sexualized I appreciate them really making this more of an emotional connection and a real love story Dina will always be a channel for Ellie to access that joy and that feeling of whimsy and community They bring out this really silly side in each other I read that you and Bella Ramsey didn’t do a chemistry read before you got the part of Dina Did it take any time to settle into your characters when you were first onscreen together?Yeah The first time we acted together was in the garage in episode one but the first time we saw each other in character was during the camera test You could feel us relax a little bit and realize this is right and it was really cool to have that immediate comfortability because camera tests are usually so awkward I know you have other experiences working on horror and sci-fi projects and adapting animated characters into live action What was different or unexpected about shooting The Last of Us What was most interesting was how much of it is practical effects but I really love that I’ve been able to work on several projects that are as practical as possible Most of the VFX in this show are just for the background when they use the green screen I actually got a really rare opportunity to join the VFX meetings I asked Craig Mazin one night when I was tipsy on the plane back from work and then actually followed through with it and it’s so fascinating how they add everything the scene in episode two where they’re running into battle but a lot of it is actual hordes of people running I’ve never gotten to see it under such a close lens I love that the people who are playing the Infected are actually trained dancers That’s why they’re able to move their bodies in such fascinating ways I would watch them rehearsing and it looked like the “Thriller” music video Since you addressed some online rumors earlier, I have to ask if you’re keeping up with the fun stuff too. Do you go online when the episodes air to see the reactions and memes? Yeah, I love the funny stuff. Ariela Barer and I exchange TikToks that we find funny. There was one about the horse that gets left behind in episode two after Jesse comes to pick up Dina and it was to the song “Jessie’s Girl.” That was one of my favorites Password must be at least 8 characters and contain: you’ll receive occasional updates and offers from New York A chef who owned a Michelin Star restaurant has found his way to Dutchess County opening a seasonal bistro restaurant in the quiet Town of Amenia Dubbed Isabela, the restaurant's name takes inspiration from owner Jose Ramirez Ruiz's home region in Puerto Rico. It is housed in the former Monte's Local Kitchen & Tap Room space and looks out on the intersection of the town's East Main and Mechanic streets Isabela opened on March 26 and Ruiz said it lives and breathes "cocina de cercanias," which roughly translates to "kitchen of nearby." At Isabela that takes the form of locally focused cuisine Ruiz has worked in the industry for 25 years He attended the Culinary Institute of New England in Montpelier Ruiz turned to the rolling hills and sprawling farmland in the mid-Hudson Valley I just needed to be closer to the producers," he said The town also sits five minutes away from Metro-North's Harlem line to the Wassaic station "I think a lot of people have been sleeping on Amenia for a long time," he said Ruiz previously owned and was head chef at Semilla he "had enough." The next restaurant he opened wasn't going to be a replication of his first six different spaces and five different sets of investors before he found the right fit "I've been trying to open this restaurant for seven and a half years," Ruiz said were living in South Florida when the COVID-19 pandemic hit He had moved there from New York City to be closer to his family in Puerto Rico They had dreamed of retiring in the Hudson Valley and wanted to raise their 2-year-old daughter somewhere close to nature like his small hometown on the west side of Puerto Rico and were immediately sold on the second-generation restaurant location after seeing it in person in June 2024 Ruiz has taken his prior experience from Michelin-starred European countryside restaurants where locally sourced cuisine is unmatched Ruiz did the design and general contracting Isabela's two minority investors are Ruiz's childhood best friend and a long-time regular customer graphic designer and flower arraignment specialist does the flowers for Isabela along with "a little bit of everything," Ruiz said "Just like most things in life," Ruiz said Isabela is intended to look a bit lived-in creating a relaxed environment with antique pieces throughout and floors that were intentionally stained haphazardly People have told Ruiz he has a "distinctive style," but at the end of the day it's about creating delicious food for him which is one thing most people can get behind "I'm always in pursuit of serving the highest level of cuisine," Ruiz said Ruiz's goal for Isabela is to source no less than 70% of their products from the mid-Hudson Valley and the surrounding region dubbed "Jose's Sourdough," made with flour from Milestone Mill in Kingston with Cowbella Creamery's butter from Jefferson Some appetizers to highlight include whole or half head of butterhead lettuce which Ruiz noted is topped with their Hudson Valley-themed spruce-infused "Italian vinaigrette," with olive oil He also noted their juniper-infused vinegar to marinate their rutabaga and apple appetizer; both trees are native to the Hudson Valley area the menu features Snowdance Farm's chicken from Livingston Manor two different fish and vegetable options are available for the main course customers can get a burger made with Gibson Farms grass-fed beef patties with bone marrow on a house-made brioche bun — a "true tavern burger," Ruiz said but many of its elements will be constants The bar's drink menu is Ruiz's "brain child," with help from Brice-Heames to make it a reality a variety of options to fit a patron's mood and cocktails that are unique but approachable such as their "Apple Claw," "Cassis-Cosmopolitan" or "Forthave Negroni," which is on tap Local farm products used include red wine vinegar and spirits from Branchwater Farms and spirits from Rose Hill Farm More: Dutchess distillery Branchwater Farms taking on unique products and farming methods But shopping local across the board is also about providing a cohesive experience for his guests Ruiz hopes customers will find a jovial pick-your-own adventure experience whether you sit at the bar and watch sports have a full sit-down dinner in the dining room or treat it like a wine bar grabbing snacks and apps while sharing a bottle "We're just trying to create a restaurant that is to the Hudson Valley from the Hudson Valley and for the Hudson Valley," Ruiz said ShareSaveCommentInnovationGamingIsabela Merced’s Dina Is The Breakout Star Of ‘The Last Of Us’ Season 2ByPaul Tassi Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights movies and the internet.Follow AuthorApr 28 There are plenty of debates about The Last of Us season 2 which seems to be far more controversial than the first That’s no real surprise after episode 2 where (spoilers) Joel is beaten to death in a massive moment that also launched the second game There are also conversations about Bella Ramsey’s Ellie that this Ellie doesn’t look different enough from the last season when she’s supposed to be five years older Ramsey’s portrayal being a bit different than Ellie’s game personality (personally a star has emerged in season 2 that I don’t think a lot of people saw coming While Dina was an important part of the game Merced’s charming and compelling portrayal of the character has elevated her past what she was in the source material the 23 year-old just played a part in Alien Romulus (ironically across from older Ellie ringer Cailee Spaeny) Now she’s set to play Hawkgirl in the first DCU movie quite a jump from her last superhero role in Madame Web next to Sydney Sweeney Some viewers may remember her playing live-action Dora more than half a decade ago We can get into game spoilers if you want now and how “safe” she is or not in this story Dina is in fact pregnant via her relationship with Jesse (who will not survive the show) This eventually reaches a point where her and Ellie are living together after the Seattle story is over but Ellie cannot let her revenge go when she learns the escaped Abby has resurfaced in California is that we will see both Dina and Ellie for the duration of the next two seasons and she’s not about to suffer some tragic fate I think everyone here is doing a good job from Ramsey to Young Mazino’s Jesse to at least so far Isabela Merced's nuanced portrayal of Dina in 'The Last of Us' captivates audiences, showcasing her complex relationship with Ellie and highlighting her resilience in a post-apocalyptic world. Isabela Merced’s portrayal of Dina in HBO’s The Last of Us has captivated audiences. Craig Mazin, the show's co-creator, knew instantly that Merced was the perfect choice after witnessing her in just one scene. He recalls her debut, saying, “Ellie opens the door and Izzy turns and goes, ‘Hiiiii,’ which is just awesome. She just radiates.” This article delves into Merced’s performance, her perspective on Dina, and the impact of her character on the show. Merced's dedication extends beyond acting. She actively participated in post-production, joining VFX meetings and spending days in the editing bay, gaining invaluable insights into the filmmaking process. This experience has not only enhanced her acting but also shaped her future ambitions. Dina's decision to continue the revenge quest despite her pregnancy is another point of discussion. Merced reveals that later episodes shed more light on Dina's personal motivations, making her choice more understandable. Merced often referenced her own mother, highlighting the strength and resilience of motherhood even in the face of unimaginable challenges. Merced's unique experience in the editing bay and VFX meetings reveals her dedication to her craft. She learned the value of meticulous work and the significance of every detail, remarking, "That there’s no such thing as doing too many takes." This experience extends beyond her immediate role and will influence her future projects. She also expresses her admiration for Pedro Pascal's acting abilities, gained from observing his performances in the editing room. Merced's enthusiasm and engagement go beyond simply performing; she actively seeks to understand and contribute to the entire creative process. This dedication is apparent in her thoughtful discussions of Dina's character and her interactions with Ellie. Isabela Merced’s performance as Dina is a remarkable achievement. Her dedication, insight, and thoughtful engagement with her role have brought a complex and relatable character to life. Merced's portrayal of Dina's emotional depth, resilience, and relationship with Ellie has resonated deeply with viewers, making her an integral part of The Last of Us's success. Merced gives a nuanced performance, showcasing Dina's strength, vulnerability, and complex relationship with Ellie within the show's post-apocalyptic setting. Her acting highlights Dina's resilience. Dina is a key character, representing resilience and LGBTQ+ representation in a harsh world. Her relationship with Ellie is central to the narrative, exploring themes of love and survival. Merced's performance emphasizes Dina's strength, her vulnerability, and the depth of her connection with Ellie, making her a compelling and memorable character. The relationship between Ellie and Dina is a crucial element, offering a poignant and realistic portrayal of love and support in a post-apocalyptic environment. This also showcases important LGBTQ+ representation. Yes, her performance is widely praised for its nuance and emotional depth, capturing the complexity of Dina's character and her relationship with Ellie. Merced's portrayal stands out due to her ability to convey both Dina's strength and vulnerability, making her a relatable and sympathetic character within the show's post-apocalyptic setting. Dina's character reflects the show's exploration of human connection, resilience, and the search for hope amidst despair in a post-apocalyptic world, while also featuring prominent LGBTQ+ representation. Merced displays exceptional emotional range and depth, portraying Dina's strength, vulnerability, and love with believable nuance. Her performance is praised for its authenticity and emotional impact. The inclusive representation of LGBTQ+ characters like Dina and Ellie is vital for showcasing diverse experiences and relationships, offering a more accurate reflection of reality within the show's narrative. Isabela Merced's portrayal of Dina can be seen in HBO's adaptation of The Last of Us. The series is available on HBO Max and other streaming platforms where HBO is available. All rights reserved @ 2025 Nishtya Infotech (India) Ltd. is already beloved by fans of the video game on which the HBO show is based To watch the first episode of the new season is to totally understand why: Amid all the misfortune and horror surrounding the protagonists she has this balance that I also have in my personal life I’m the first to make a joke,” Merced tells Vogue came to the series when she was summoned by show writers Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann to meet with them without knowing what the project was about “They let me know a week later that they wanted to work with me for the role of Dina,” she says as Dina will take the lead in the story alongside Ellie (Bella Ramsey) and Abby (Kaitlyn Dever) The Last of Us was already a universe Merced knows well "Being a fan of the video game and then getting into the series is very crazy,” she shares “having that knowledge and walking around the set Even the dance scene is almost the same as in the video game The dance scene at the end of the just-released first episode marks an upward change in direction for their relationship they’re already resisting tropes and clichés about LGBTQ+ relationships when queer culture wasn’t as accepted,” she explains “It’s interesting to see it in this context when it seems like they didn’t have any preconceived notions about being queer It’s great to see how their natural relationship builds And I think Dina being bisexual is also an interesting dynamic that I haven’t seen as much explored in the media That they’re both protagonists in the series Isabela Merced and Bella Ramsey’s chemistry is unmatched There’s something very curious and innocent about their dynamic: Dina comes across as much more jovial next to Ellie this is a good metaphor for the experience of Ramsey of whom their co-star speaks with particular admiration “I asked them for some advice before we started the series because they are more familiar [to the] set,” she says “being part of a series with so many fans and with so much power on the Internet is very difficult After seeing [Ramsey] in their natural environment and navigating all the things that come with being a lead character in a huge franchise I don’t make a big deal out of it [laughs] Photo: HBOBut Merced has also had a stratospheric trajectory to get here she was also working on another of her upcoming projects and promoting Madame Web and Alien: Romulus The actor is one of the burgeoning next generation of women in the action and sci-fi genres already a deft hand at playing complex women “Women are resourceful and they’re also very soft at the same time,” says Merced “I saw my mom and how she struggled in life and overcame all the obstacles That’s the most interesting thing for me: To see women in these spaces that are so horrific and so difficult because they bring tenderness to these situations and seeing that dynamic duality gives you movies and series with very interesting scenes.” Isabela Merced joins Pedro Pascal (Joel Miller) and Danny Ramirez (Manny Alvarez) in a Latino-rooted cast for The Last of Us It’s something she speaks of with pride: “I’m Peruvian from Ohio and that’s something very unique I want to represent my country.” To see Latino talent in a series with such a large scope is to be celebrated The Last of Us goes far beyond being a story about an apocalypse “Each chapter feels like a therapy session,” she says “it gives you the opportunity to see your problems in a mirror.” Ryan Murphy Has Finally Found His Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy The Best Books of 2025 So Far Here’s Everything You Need to Know About Adolescence, the British Netflix Drama That’s Quickly Gone Viral “I Didn’t Want to Box Myself In”: On Mayhem, Lady Gaga Crafts Perfect Pop for a Chaotic World Listen to The Run-Through with Vogue a weekly podcast featuring the most exciting stories and hot takes from the worlds of culture Never miss a Vogue moment and get unlimited digital access for just $2 $1 per month Isabela Merced: ‘I hadn’t seen lesbians carrying a story like The Last of Us’ Isabela Merced was advised not to play Naughty Dog’s post-apocalyptic video game hit The Last of Us before she began filming her role as Dina in season two of the HBO adaptation “I didn’t know that though,” Merced protests today the one which she is now recreating for the small screen She had good reason: Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin and she assuredly assumed it was for a role in the eight-time Emmy Award-winning series I didn’t even have to audition or anything.” It all worked out. Druckmann has said he doesn’t want his actors to play so they aren’t simply delivering a “poor imitation” of the game avatars playing was rather “such a good cheat sheet” and a successful one too: at the US premiere of season two and fans have chewn each character’s features “Ellie sort of takes on Joel’s role in a way in this season and becomes the hard ass with the issues and Dina is softening her like Ellie does to Joel,” Merced says “I’m just another point of access to their relationship Isabela Merced is underplaying her role in the season but if it’s due to nerves perched on a sofa in the furthest corner of the furthest room in a suave London hotel her face porcelain and bright with Hollywood luminosity She smoothly swerves talk of how Dina’s story may be plumped with the second game being broken into two or more seasons “There’s still going to be questions that people have at the end of this season,” she shrugs Katherine laying a white towel over her lap to catch flecks of stray broth it was about really focusing on the present moment and not really thinking about the future I wanted people to fall in love with Ellie through Dina’s experience In season two episode one, Ellie and Dina’s friends-to-lovers trajectory begins at pace; by the end, they’re slow dancing at the settlement’s centre in a church. Dina leans in for a kiss cautious of letting her tough shell be cracked “Everything leading up to the kiss was planned very meticulously I really love that they kept Ellie having her eyes open for the initial kiss sort of in disbelief of the moment,” Merced says it was the chemistry she had with Ramsey on and off set that allowed the moment to flourish “Bella is such a non-threatening person which is completely the opposite of Ellie explore how to approach that and the different ways and do it a billion times and I wasn’t uncomfortable with it.” like people were crying,” she smiles The scene ends with one of the community’s elders telling the pair to part as it’s a “family event” rounding off by calling them “d*kes” knocking the man to the ground with distinctly more dramatics than in the game Merced is keen to note the importance of context: the pandemic began in 2003 and the world’s inhabitants haven’t exactly have LGBTQ+ equality at the front of their minds “It’s a little bit like he’s holding on to the past,” she says.  because it’s almost like they’re not really aware of the LGBT community and the struggles they face.” She eyes her noodles “Even I had to go out of my way when I was growing up to learn about that it’s sort of infused into the show in such a smart way because these kids didn’t grow up with that knowledge or that experience the Clickers didn’t go for them first – as much as some people would like them to,” she says with a fit of giggles It’s true: despite critical and commercial success, and some heftily pro-LBGTQ+ source material from the original Naughty Dog games, HBO’s first season was review-bombed by homophobes furious with Bill (Nick Offerman) and Frank’s (Murray Bartlett) romance and Ellie’s kiss with her friend Riley (Storm Reid) Merced has words for those upset: “They’re gonna have to put up with it That’s all the attention they’re getting “Even the game was so ahead of its time I just hadn’t seen lesbians carrying a story like this in the gaming world Are you telling me that this would fly back in the day?’” Merced was 12 at the time the first game was released and much of her adulthood has existed parallel to simmering anti-LGBTQ+ culture wars “That was what made me so inspired and happy about it And then for the show to nod to the progressiveness and it’s just the realness of gay people existing and acknowledging that and just making it not like Fans of the game will know that The Last of Us season two is about to be anything but lovely but even they are about to begin a bumpy ride delicate moment during the dance – Merced in one of the episode’s best performances – in which she tells Ellie that the men in the room are jealous of her I think they should be terrified of you,” comes Dina’s chilling response.  “It’s an acknowledgement of Ellie’s power but it’s also an acknowledgement of her submission to her power in a way “Everyone should be terrified of you.”The Last of Us season two airs Sundays on HBO in the US and Monday morning on Sky and NOW in the UK This 23-year-old Hollywood "It girl" cannot be contained Getty Images.TagsactortvpopcultureBella RamseyPedro PascalRelated ArticlesFilm & TVWho Is Kailtyn Dever Meet The Newest 'The Last of Us' StarAs The Last of Us returns for its second season After a shocking death in the second episode in Season 2 The Last of Us fans are reeling and seeking revenge against Abby Pedro Pascal’s character's fate has viewers stunned—but is there a secret comeback at play ISABELA GRUTMAN & VITA SIDORKINA ARE MIAMI’S MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMEN REDEFINING WHAT SUCCESS MEANS IN THE MODERN ERA IF I had to define Isabela Grutman and Vita Sidorkina in one word — admittedly multi-faceted lives — I would keep returning to one word: rare infectious energy — both separately and together — that you seldom encounter the day was far from over for Grutman and Sidorkina they eagerly began planning content for the new Isa Grutman Jewelry collection Sidorkina playfully tried on the jewelry while Grutman shared her favorite pieces It was in this moment that I truly began to appreciate the rarity of these remarkable We often hear about the concept of the power woman in today’s society as women continue to break through traditional gender barriers Grutman and Sidorkina are not only embracing this role but also redefining what it means to be a power woman in the modern era With a successful modeling career spanning over 20 years, Grutman has always considered fashion an integral part of her life. Today, she is the founder of Rangel her namesake sustainable and contemporary clothing brand featured in major retailers like Shopbop and Revolve She is also the founder of the fine jewelry brand Isa Grutman Both brands weave Grutman’s DNA throughout and that is when I learned a lot,” Grutman explains I didn’t have the opportunity to sew or start my own brand but it was always something I knew I wanted to do I bought a sewing machine and started making clothes for my daughters which led my friends to suggest that I start a brand.” Thus it was important to use that last name as it reminds me of all the strong women in my life.” Rangel is a tribute to Grutman’s Brazilian roots she produces everything in Brazil and Portugal “I wanted to create a brand where women feel good about themselves,” Grutman says “I wanted outfits that women could wear both during the day and at night — something easy to wear that doesn’t require overthinking Rangel is designed for women on the go.” The brand proves to be the true testament of a label founded by its ultimate customer Two years later, in 2022, Grutman launched Isa Grutman I always had a passion for jewelry because for me It is something that will stay with you forever I created Isa Grutman Jewelry to have pieces that carry memories and stories around them — things that could stay with us forever,” Grutman says A strong sense of purpose and intention drives Grutman’s namesake brands While she is deeply involved in the daily operations of both brands she also plays a vital role in the non-profit organization Style Saves Style Saves focuses on providing essential goods such as school supplies and mentorship to the youth with the goal of enhancing academic achievements “We started Style Saves with 500 kids nine years ago we see a high demand for school supplies and backpacks when we open registration which often leads us to close registration within just two days,” reveals Grutman Though each year brings new goals and bigger impacts Grutman is particularly proud of this year’s achievements “This year — while it may seem like a small thing — I am very excited that we will be providing the kids with two polos instead of one I’ve always thought that one polo is not enough and we manufacture everything ourselves,” she continues Alongside founder Rachael Russell Saiger and an incredible team of volunteers Grutman has dedicated her time outside of her brands to fostering a greater impact eventually leading her to secure major campaigns as well as features in esteemed publications like Sports Illustrated I’ve probably received more nos than yeses I believe that’s one of the best gifts life could give me I have built so much resilience from this industry,” she explains I was often told that I would never have a successful career because of my height I think that overcoming that was one of the best gifts to learn who I am and build my confidence,” Sidorkina reflects she had always dreamed of living in the United States she landed her career-changing opportunity at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show “Victoria’s Secret and [Sports Illustrated] are two iconic American brands that I was fortunate to work with and I am forever grateful to them for helping me in my career path,” says Sidorkina she began to transition into content creation as a natural progression to her career amassing a million followers on Instagram this year alone “Content creation allows me to be a present mom which I believe is important at this stage of my life It also serves as a creative outlet for growing my personal brand I do believe that if you grow your social presence online you can really do anything you want with it,” Sidorkina reveals With loyal followers on Instagram and a growing YouTube channel Sidorkina has transformed her platform into a source of inspiration “My goal online is to inspire other women to show up just the way they are and inspire mothers to have fun at the stage they are at in [motherhood] I also share many wellness and health tips because I experienced an eating disorder during my modeling career I have finally found peace with how I look and feel,” she shares As the content creation industry rapidly evolves the industry has become more saturated with so many people who create content there is a demand to be more original and consistent I’ve built my own team of three people dedicated to helping me grow my online presence.” Sidorkina has taken another significant step as she teased that she would soon launch her first fashion venture, a capsule collection of shoes in collaboration with Miami-based Argentine brand Vicson “When I initially moved to Miami — and I moved here first in 2015,” she jokingly says to Sidorkina a lot of little accents were missing for me I feel like there are a lot of creators here — photographers and stylists — and I’ve found my group of people who inspire me I also met Vita when she moved here from New York I remember having a lot of these kinds of conversations I feel that we have a much more creative and inspiring environment.” Sidorkina echoes Grutman’s sentiment: “Miami now has many different aspects — it’s family-friendly the city has different sides you can explore.” [As a former New Yorker now living in Miami Miami has undergone a remarkable transformation over the past several years doing a complete 180 and creating numerous new opportunities there is still plenty of room for growth.] “I would love to see more of a fashion environment,” admits Grutman “It’s important for new designers to receive more support and for local factories to be available here for sourcing Finding fabrics and factories to collaborate with here is still hard for me I would love the industry to grow and involve more people in the fashion community.” emphasizing the importance of a 360-degree perspective “More brands need to come here and engage in activations it all functions as an ecosystem — new designers launching new brands — which creates opportunities for collaboration among these brands here for us to all work together and keep growing.” Grutman and Sidorkina have become names that are synonymous with Miami and its culture establishing themselves as true role models and As they inspire thousands of women in Miami and around the world perhaps their greatest inspirations are their daughters Motherhood is undoubtedly one of their most important roles both challenging and rewarding at every stage I sit in awe when we discuss motherhood and the idea of balance — a concept that they both find amusing “The concept of balance does not exist,” Sidorkina states “It’s about finding what works for you personally as I was driving here with feelings of ‘mom guilt’ on my way to our cover shoot I realized it was about accepting and living through emotions while pursuing my passions It is important to remember that a mom’s job is not just to be at home with the kids taking care of basic needs; it is our job as moms to show our girls that when family life starts It is essential to evolve and continue to chase our dreams it is important to lead by example to show our girls how we evolve as individuals outside of family life It’s our responsibility to show them that they can do anything they want to do in their life and achieve their goals supporting each other while discussing how to navigate this so-called balance There is so much love between the two; it’s both palpable and inspirational it has been outside of the norm to find people who genuinely support and celebrate others’ successes in the fashion industry it’s really special that they found each other “One thing about Vita that people don’t know is that she is very straightforward,” says Grutman it is inspiring to me because that is someone I want to be — I want to be someone who is direct and forward I always look up to Vita because she is so stylish and inspiring.” She was one of the first people I met here and I feel like we’ve gone through similar stages of life together — everything from motherhood to business And one thing about Isa is she is never competitive with you She always wants you to win; it is so rare to find in a friendship a person who genuinely wants to cheer for you.” the foundation of their happiness lies in the support system they’ve created in Miami “I am just so proud of the friendships I have built here in Miami,” Sidorkina says “It is one of my biggest achievements — I am confident in life knowing I have this support system no matter what happens.” Grutman gives Sidorkina a squeeze “I am very lucky to have a group of girls here When I am overworked or overwhelmed with life I can confidently say that these two women embody my definition of the modern power woman today the ultimate power woman is someone who has the confidence to speak up for what she believes in believes that power women can take many different forms “I have so many women around me who inspire me in different ways — Isa is not scared to pursue her dreams and goals Then there are my friends who are stay-at-home moms One thing that unites us all is the confidence inside knowing that you are on the right path and that your vision is clear you are fulfilled in your own life and the circumstances you are standing on.” The idea of the power woman has certainly evolved and manifested in various personas I have to take the opportunity to ask our cover stars what advice they would give to their younger selves It takes a long time to build who you really are so don’t judge yourself or be scared to take risks Life will pivot you and take you another way — just don’t be scared of things taking time,” Grutman says She reveals this lesson as she reflects on the patience she personally needed while building her empire I had a clear vision and confidence inside that I would go far in modeling I believe that if you approach anything with confidence you can pursue anything.” Sidorkina concurs sharing that she fought for so long to detach from her original ‘plan,’ which ultimately turned out to be the best decision she ever made but it’s more important to be flexible as to where life takes you but let your intuition guide you,” she says Grutman and Sidorkina have put forth a new definition to the power woman in 2025 Haute Living hosted an exclusive Haute Leaders dinner at Alessa NYC a modern Italian gem in the heart of New York’s Penn District certain names echo not just for their scents but for their seismic influence on the industry Estée Lauder unveils its first Skin Longevity Institute in the Americas at Hacienda AltaGracia in Costa Rica’s Blue Zone We’ve rounded up the best Mother’s Day gifts that will pamper and indulge the ultimate beauty lover in your life Haute Living and hip-hop legend Fat Joe celebrate the launch of Sonrisa Rum at the iconic Fontainebleau Miami Beach IWC and Mercedes-AMG Petronas kicked off the 2025 Miami Grand Prix with a soiree featuring George Russell and the stars of the new F1 film Receive Our Magazine Directly at Your Doorstep Embark on a journey of luxury and elegance with Haute Living magazine Subscribe now and have every issue conveniently delivered to your home Join Haute Black and unlock access to the world's most prestigious luxury events didn’t just look different from her sister—she was drawn to completely different interests as well.  “She loves math; I’m terrible at it,” Isabela said “I was all about the arts and reading; she avoided them.”  Despite their six-year age gap and distinct academic passions the sisters found common ground attending Case Western Reserve University an English major with a film concentration to explore how their unique paths at CWRU shaped their sibling connection her younger sister was just beginning to prepare for her own college experience—but she didn’t try to sway her to attend her alma mater.  “Being a younger sibling already comes with enough comparisons so I wanted her decision to feel entirely her own,” Isabela explained “I knew her college experience would be totally different from mine so her decision to attend CWRU had to come from her own perspective.” Maya, too, was determined to carve her own path. Yet as she explored CWRU, she realized it could be the right place for both of them in their own ways. With their mother, Liana Carroll working as the director of undergraduate admission the university had already been familiar—but now it became a space where they could each grow in their own direction “CWRU was able to give us very unique experiences but still give us both a place where we could be ourselves in our own ways,” Maya pointed out.  have provided the pair with a sense of camaraderie One such instance came during Discover Week found herself overwhelmed by the whirlwind of emotions that come with starting college.  Having an older sister who had been through the same orientation program made all the difference—someone who understood the nerves excitement and adjustments without needing much explanation.  “Whenever she tells me a story,” Isabela said “I don’t need the extra backstory—I already get the places There’s something comforting about being six years apart but knowing that some things about CWRU never change.”  One of their strongest connections formed through Isabela’s involvement in IMPROVment Maya was there for Isabela’s very first show freshman year “It was special having someone in the audience who had watched me grow over the years,” Isabela said “IMPROVment was the most valuable part of my college experience so it meant a lot to share a small piece of that with her.” Even with Isabela now living in New York and working as a production assistant Maya remains one of the troupe’s most dedicated supporters—and her sister’s creativity and authenticity continue to leave a lasting impact But after watching her sister thrive in creative spaces she decided to step outside her comfort zone enrolling in a beginner guitar class at the Cleveland Institute of Music this year While Maya has been influenced by her sister’s creativity Isabela admires Maya’s genuine curiosity for learning—and her determination Because Isabela knows her sister’s strengths and weaknesses she’s more helpful in telling her what not to do in her first year at CWRU.  “She knows that classes will push me and she knows my limits,” Maya admitted “so she is always there for me whenever I’m getting stressed about midterms and I just need someone to talk to for an hour.” Isabela said her sister tends to take on more than she can chew so she’s good at reminding her there’s no rush to explore everything at once.  “If she ever wakes up with an unexpected interest in the arts, though, I’d tell her to take a class with Chris Bohan—he’s got Robin Williams in Dead Poets Society energy which is exactly what you want in a college professor,” she said college has been a personal journey—one shaped by their own passions and a few inside jokes about campus life—will always connect them “The whole point of college is that it’s your own journey—everyone grows into themselves in their own way—but sharing the same school means we have this built-in unspoken understanding of what makes up that journey,” Isabela said.  Interested in participating in a research study Looking for an upcoming event in your department Subscribe to The Daily Items that appear in the Community Postings section are submitted by visitors Posts are reviewed to ensure they are appropriate for our audience but typically are not edited by University Marketing and Communications Case Western Reserve University is committed to academic freedom and promoting diversity of thought The views of those who speak on our campus do not necessarily reflect the views of the university administration or any other segment of the university community Dina (Isabela Merced) in The Last of Us season 2's premiere She's already set to play a DC superhero later this summer serving as Ellie's loving partner and guiding light as the show's plot takes a very dark turn seasons 2 and 3 are set to get even more devastating than season 1.) The Last of Us may be Merced's breakout TV role, but the 23-year-old has already proven herself as one of Hollywood's most hard-working actresses. In just two months, she's set to become a full-fledged superstar with a role in one of 2025's most anticipated action movies Read below to learn more about Isabela Merced before she becomes one of the year's biggest stars her family's home burnt down in an electrical fire; the day after she had her first audition for a production of The Sound of Music and landed the role A post shared by ISABELA🇵🇪🇺🇸 (@isabelamerced) with supporting turns in 2017's Transformers: The Last Knight she starred as Dora the Explorer in the live-action film Dora and the Lost City of Gold has been giving my mom the strength and determination to guide me; a force that has been protecting us through so many journeys I feel as though if that guardian angel would be anyone Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends she played Kay Harrison in the horror franchise film Alien: Romulus A post shared by ISABELA🇵🇪🇺🇸 (@isabelamerced) Just months after her The Last of Us debut Merced will return to the big screen in one of the biggest superhero movies this year The multi-hyphenate is set to play Hawkgirl She'll become the first person to play a feature-film version of the character "But it's cool because I'm an adrenaline seeker I like being dropped from really high heights In addition to possibly continuing playing Hawkgirl across the DC Studios slate Merced also has hopes of returning to Broadway I want to do a stoner comedy with two female leads I just don't see a lot of women leading them She also told Entertainment Weekly that she's prepared to face whatever prejudiced criticism the show gets in response to the storyline. "I'm kind of looking forward to the backlash,” she added. “I don't know how to describe it. I'm not scared because the gays have existed since the beginning of time. The thing is, if you have the gays, you have the world as well. If you have their support, you are fine. recommending her favorite shows and films to family and friends or giving a concert performance while sitting in L.A TV shows or films that have two characters heavily interacting often need a chemistry test, to see if their actors can make the on-screen sparks portrayed in the script fly in real life, but not Bella Ramsey when it comes to The Last of Us season 2 Portraying Dina from The Last of Us Part 2 game Merced is set to spend a lot of time together with Ramsey's Ellie throughout the season That's if the HBO version of TLOU follows the main story beats of its source material Like what we've seen so far in episode 1 at the time of writing, the equivalent events of the game see Ellie and Dina head off on a perilous cross-country adventure to face off against dangerous new enemies like Abby Although the season's trailer seems to show that we might be spending some more episodes in Jackson first the best friends turned romantic interests will nevertheless have many scenes together in the meantime and afterward While you might think some initial actor-to-actor experimentation through a screen test might be required In fact, it wasn't needed for her time with Pedro Pascal as Joel in season 1 either Speaking to Radio Times at the recent Last of Us press event ahead of season 2's launch we asked the Ellie actress if she and Merced did a chemistry test or if it was along the lines of 'here's your new person!' spend the rest of the year together and like each other,' which we did relied on each other heavily throughout the whole thing as you always do with someone that you're working with that closely,\" she explained further this is quite a delight to hear when thinking about how this reflects on the relationship between actors and their project's creators The Last of Us co-creators and showrunners Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin instead of just putting two actors together — and immediately expecting them to give the dual performance needed to decide if it will work — had enough faith in the talents of those actors that they would build the necessary chemistry themselves over time As a bonus to this method that we've seen in season 1 Ellie and Joel's well-performed relationship in the Last of Us series's first outing has a higher degree of authenticity due to Ramsey and Pascal's real-life friendship Going from father figure Joel to a friendship and romance with Dina in season 2 Ramsey also mentioned to us how this new relationship does even more for Ellie's character in season 2 it's a really nice thread throughout the season And I think it's really nice to see Ellie in we literally just mostly saw Ellie and Joel [in] season 1 for Ellie to be in sort of a romantic-ish thing and have a crush on someone I think it's a really sort of cool thing to see \"And I think [it] makes her seem more like a well-rounded teenager that relationship was so special and was really fun to play,\" Ramsey clarified As far as season 2 goes so far with episode 1 the lack of chemistry test between Ramsey and Merced has worked out for the show once again — with Ellie and Dina's dance scene at Jackon's New Year's Eve party portraying enough believability for their new blossoming relationship as it did in TLOU Part 2 Although we've got a lot more to see from the new members of The Last of Us season 2's cast Merced has so far proven to be a great love interest for the live-action Ellie The Last of Us season 2 is now showing on Sky Atlantic and NOW Isabela Merced didn't have chemistry test with Bella Ramsey for The Last of Us season 2An 'if it ain't broke don't fix it' approach from season 1 Portraying Dina from The Last of Us Part 2 game Merced is set to spend a lot of time together with Ramsey's Ellie throughout the season That's if the HBO version of TLOU follows the main story beats of its source material Like what we've seen so far in episode 1 at the time of writing, the equivalent events of the game see Ellie and Dina head off on a perilous cross-country adventure to face off against dangerous new enemies like Abby Although the season's trailer seems to show that we might be spending some more episodes in Jackson first Ramsey has revealed that wasn't the case In fact, it wasn't needed for her time with Pedro Pascal as Joel in season 1 either Bella Ramsey as Ellie and Isabela Merced as Dina in The Last of Us season 2 HBOSpeaking to Radio Times at the recent Last of Us press event ahead of season 2's launch we asked the Ellie actress if she and Merced did a chemistry test or if it was along the lines of 'here's your new person!' and Ramsey's answer was quite surprising spend the rest of the year together and like each other,' which we did as you always do with someone that you're working with that closely," she explained further this is quite a delight to hear when thinking about how this reflects on the relationship between actors and their project's creators As a bonus to this method that we've seen in season 1 Ellie and Joel's well-performed relationship in the Last of Us series's first outing has a higher degree of authenticity due to Ramsey and Pascal's real-life friendship Isabela Merced as Dina looking at Ellie in The Last of Us season 2 UK & Ireland/YouTubeGoing from father figure Joel to a friendship and romance with Dina in season 2 Ramsey also mentioned to us how this new relationship does even more for Ellie's character in season 2 it's a really nice thread throughout the season And I think it's really nice to see Ellie in I think it's a really sort of cool thing to see "And I think [it] makes her seem more like a well-rounded teenager that relationship was so special and was really fun to play," Ramsey clarified the lack of chemistry test between Ramsey and Merced has worked out for the show once again — with Ellie and Dina's dance scene at Jackon's New Year's Eve party portraying enough believability for their new blossoming relationship as it did in TLOU Part 2 Although we've got a lot more to see from the new members of The Last of Us season 2's cast Rob LeaneGaming EditorRob Leane is the Gaming Editor at Radio Times overseeing our coverage of the biggest games on PlayStation as well as producing our weekly gaming newsletter you are agreeing to site title privacy policy This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. 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