Naughty Dog’sThe Last of UsandThe Last of Us Part 2were widely appreciated and praised by many gamers, and the franchise has been one of the most successful of the decade. The amount of awards both games garnered over time is astounding, but such popularity can also lead to widespread criticism on both valid points regarding the series' weak spots and also on the representation the franchise offers. This happened withThe Last of Us Part 2, especially, and many players ended up disliking the wayAbby and Levwere portrayed due to the former’s body type and the latter’s gender identity.
Tomorrow, afan-made short film aboutThe Last of Us Part 2is coming out, and the director and cast alike shared their opinions on Abby but also including other franchises and how they feature unrealistic body standards. The short film is directed by a videomaker by the name of Marco Ritelli, and the cast comprises four cosplayers turned actors for this project, including Virginia Ceci (Ellie), Rita Grieco (Dina), Alessia Grassi (Abby), and Amelia Falco (Lev). Game Rant spoke with them about what it means to face the consequences of unrealistic representation when it comes to video game characters' bodies, and, specifically, about all the criticism concerning Abby.
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The Last of Us Part 2’s Abby and Unrealistic Body Standards
Because Grassi was already part of HotGarbageTeam, together with all the other actors, she wasn’t new to cosplaying asThe Last of Us Part 2’s Abby before diving into the fan-made film. On the contrary, the whole team’s pictures were shared byNaughty Dogon social media and by Neil Druckmann himself over time, which cemented the fact that they have been doing an incredible job, and they are finally reaping the results of their hard work. Grassi felt like Abby was the perfect character for her, as they share a lot of character traits that the cosplayer outlined during the interview.
Training can be a way to vent. It can be a way to think you’re getting over something when truly that’s not the case. Training is often an outlet for what you have on the inside. Abby seems like a strong woman, emotionally, but she is also a very sensitive person.
Grassi’s connection with Abby is deep, and it stems from the fact that they are both people who train their bodies to appear and actually be strong, even show off at times. According to Grassi, this happens because the world—both the real world and that ofThe Last of Us Part 2—is not accepting of weaknesses, so it’s easier to hide how sensitive one can truly be on the inside by having a tough facade. She also believes that Abby got a lot of undeserved criticism for the way she looks and how muscular she is, while it’s perfectly natural for women to have a more masculine body type.
The talk about Abby sparked a discussion regarding all the critiques that went intoGod of War: Ragnarok’s Thor, and how unrealistic body standards hurt the image of fictional characters and real people alike. The cast spoke about how Thor is much better represented in the upcomingGod of Wargame than he ever was in Marvel’s movies, even though the latter contributed to the general image of Thor being a muscular dude with a chiseled physique. Grieco commented on how disappointed she was with the casting of Cat Woman, and how this affects movies, TV shows, and video games alike on a deeper level.
Abby is not right because she is too muscly. Thor is not right because he has a belly. Aloy is not right because she has a double chin. So what? […] Some characters are written or designed in a very specific way, but then the actors playing them are completely different from them.
Ritelli suggested that some of the hate might come from people who are generally unhappy with the game, and how that fact can lead to negative reviews or critiques. Still, unrealistic body standards are very much an issue in many modern societies, andThe Last of Us Part 2going out of its way to being as inclusive as possiblewas incredible. That’s what the short fan film aims to do as well, and it’s something all of the actors firmly believe in.
The Last of Us Part 2 fan filmreleases on September 26.
