Speaking during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Naughty Dog‘s Neil Druckmann has revealed that actresses Maisie Williams and Kaitlyn Dever were both considered for the role of Ellie in the cancelled movie based on The Last of Us.
Regarding the HBO series that premieres this month, Druckmann said that the show required an actress that could appear “tough and vulnerable and wise beyond [their] years and also have a potential for violence.” He added that the producers saw “dozens and dozens” of auditions for the part of Ellie, with Williams having been considered when The Last of Us was set to be adapted into a movie.
If you recall back in 2014, Williams herself said that she was eager to play the role of Ellie in The Last of Us, although the movie never got off the ground and was instead repositioned as a TV show.
The role of Ellie for the TV series ultimately went to Bella Ramsey, who also starred in Game of Thrones alongside Williams. Another early contender for the role was Kaitlyn Dever, who did a table read for the part of Ellie, but like Williams, they were too old for the part by the time the TV series was planned.
[Source – The Hollywood Reporter via ResetEra]