The Last of Us star's heartbreak as they filmed pivotal scene after huge personal loss

The Last of Us has made a dramatic return to HBO and Sky, with the latest episode seeing the demise of a beloved character. Kaitlyn Dever, who portrays Abby in the post-apocalyptic drama, killed off Joel (played by Pedro Pascal) in a scene that left fans reeling.

Even though many viewers familiar with the video game would have anticipated Joel's death, the heart-wrenching scene still came as a shock.

The cast members also found the scene challenging, especially Kaitlyn, who disclosed she filmed the crucial moment just days after her mother's passing.

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Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, the Apple Cider Vinegar star said: "It was just a massive scene emotionally, and with blocking, too. There were so many moving parts and so many things to navigate.

"To be as honest as possible, I will just say that my days leading up to this scene were horrible."

She lost her mother Kathy to breast cancer just a few weeks before filming the scene.

"My mom's funeral was three days before I did my first day. So I was sort of in a fog. I was in a daze," she added.

Showrunner Craig Mazin ensured she had all the time she needed to cope with her personal loss, and the shooting schedule was adjusted to accommodate her.

"Because of my life circumstances, I wasn't actually able to do my normal routine as an actor, which was really interesting because I was kind of worried about it," she explained.

In a devastating turn of events, Abby stumbled upon a horde of infected hiding under corpses.

She was rescued by Joel but quickly identified him and set a trap.

At the cabin, Abby and her group betrayed Joel, with Abby revealing herself as the daughter of the Firefly surgeon Joel killed in the first season's climax.

She shot Joel in the leg and then savagely beat him with a club, even using it to stab him in the neck in front of Ellie (Bella Ramsey).

Kaitlyn's mother had been fighting metastatic breast cancer for 14 years, and at the time of her passing, she expressed on : "My mama. My life. My everything. I don't even have the words.

"Nothing I'll ever say will amount to the gifts you have given me in my life, the boundless joy you brought, the deep, endless, unconditional love you gave me and our family. Your love was everywhere."

The Last of Us continues on Sunday nights on HBO and Max, with UK fans able to watch on Sky and NOW every Monday.