Max’s The Last of Us second season has confirmed Isabela Merced (Dora and the Lost City of Gold, Madame Web, 100 Things to Do Before High School) joining the cast as the role of Dina. The character plays an essential role in the story of the original game The Last of Us Part II, which is the one that the new season is based on. Merced spoke in an exclusive interview with Collider, teasing the second season and what her role will bring to the show, her chemistry with star Bella Ramsey (Game of Thrones, Catherine Called Birdy, Hilda), and what she is most excited for fans to see in the series, Comicbook.com reports.

“I’m so excited for people to see my chemistry with Bella,” Merced explained, via Comicbook.com. “Bella and I have so much chemistry. From the first day, it was there. There’s no work to be done. I really respect Bella. I just saw Catherine Called Birdy and Bella has such range and just an honesty about their work. I’m learning so much. I’m very honored to be here.”

According to Comicbook.com, Merced continued to tell Collider that she has always been a fan of the show, so when the opportunity to be casted arised, she decided to play the original game The Last of Us Part II, stating that it was “a lot of fun.”

“When you see the Bloaters, your heart starts racing, your hands are all sweaty, and you can barely hold onto the controller,” Merced explained, via Comicbook.com. “It’s just an amazing experience. I consider anything that makes my heart rate go up to be a fun experience, so I enjoyed it. Great work from Neil Druckmann.”

As to how she booked the role in The Last of Us, Merced stated, according to Comicbook.com, that she had “mind-blowing instant connection” with the co-creators of the series Craig Mazin (Chernobyl, Mythic Quest) and Neil Druckmann (Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune, The Last of Us Part II). She continued, “By the way, Craig and I have a lot of issues in common. Our brains work faster than our mouths, and I just love that about him. He’s definitely one of my go-tos for a life guru, in general, now.”

According to Comicbook.com, filming for the second season of the series is currently ongoing. There is no official release date set yet. A previous report teased a possible premiere in March or April of 2025.

Currently, the first season of The Last of Us is available to stream on Max.