“Dina is warm, brilliant, wild, funny, moral, dangerous, and instantly lovable. You can search forever for an actor who effortlessly embodies all of those things, or you can find Isabela Merced right away,” showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann said in a new joint statement. “We couldn’t be prouder to have her join our family.”
Merced joins two other cast additions for the second instalment of the show which were announced earlier this week: Young Mazino (Beef) as Jesse, and Kaitlyn Dever (No One Will Save You) as Abby.
The Last of Us premiered on HBO back in January 2023, becoming an instant success for the network, marking its second-largest debut after House of the Dragon.
A season two renewal was announced after only two episodes of the first season had aired.
Read on for everything you need to know about Merced.
Who is Isabela Merced?
Age: 22
Instagram: @isabelamerced
Isabela Merced is an American actress best known for her role in Transformers: The Last Knight.
What has Isabela Merced starred in previously?
Alongside Transformers: The Last Knight, Merced has previously appeared in Dora in Dora and the Lost City of Gold.
She has also starred as Lizzy in Instant Family, Hawkgirl in Superman Legacy and Rachel in Sweet Girl on Netflix.
The actress also bagged a small role in Kingdom Hearts X Back Cover as the voice of Ava.
Who is Isabela Merced playing in The Last of Us?
Dina is described as “a free-wheeling spirit whose devotion to Ellie will be tested by the brutality of the world they inhabit,” by HBO.
In The Last of Us Part II video game, which was released in 2020, Dina is Ellie’s love interest. She was voiced by actress Shannon Woodward.
Fans previously speculated that Dina had already appeared on the show back in season 1.
In episode 6, when the show’s leads Ellie (Bella Ramsey) and Joel (Pedro Pascal) arrive in the Jackson, Wyo. community, a girl (played by Paolina Van Kleef) is shown staring at Ellie in the cafeteria.
Speaking about the scene, Mazin and Druckman didn’t refute the fan theory that it could be Dina.
“In Part II, there is a story about the first time Dina met Ellie that is very similar to what happens here,” Druckmann told EW at the time.
“That doesn’t mean that that’s Dina,” Mazin added. “Doesn’t mean it’s not.”
While it’s unclear then, whether the girl in season 1 was Dina, it’s official that Kleef will not be playing her in season 2.
The Last of Us season 1 is available on Sky Atlanticand NOW with an Entertainment Membership.
Check out more of our Sci-fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what’s on this week.
Try Radio Times magazine today and get 10 issues for only £10 – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Sophie Anderson, a UK-based writer, is your guide to the latest trends, viral sensations, and internet phenomena. With a finger on the pulse of digital culture, she explores what’s trending across social media and pop culture, keeping readers in the know about the latest online sensations.
