Kaitlyn Dever: From “Bob the Builder” to Godzilla’s Biggest Fan
You wouldn’t expect the actress Kaitlyn Dever to be belting out the “Bob the Builder” theme song in a serious interview, but there she was, singing along — and so were we. It’s a surprising scene until you realize her dad, Tim Dever, actually voiced Bob the Builder and Barney the Dinosaur. Yep, the same Barney who delighted generations of kids with his purple dinosaur charm.
“Barney the Dinosaur, crazy, right?” Kaitlyn laughs. Who knew that the roots of her entertainment pedigree stretched all the way to those iconic children’s shows?
Maybe that’s why Kaitlyn is having such a blast on her latest gig in Australia — filming Godzilla x Kong: Supernova, the newest chapter in the Monsterverse saga. It’s not her first brush with dinosaurs, either. Only this time, instead of cuddly Barney, it’s giant green monsters brought to life by green screens and cutting-edge effects.
“I want to meet Godzilla someday,” Kaitlyn confesses. “But honestly, I don’t know if that’ll ever happen outside my imagination. And that’s okay — my imagination’s pretty powerful.”
Right now, though, Kaitlyn’s back in Los Angeles, taking a well-deserved breather from the high-octane filming schedule. She’s soaking up time with her dad and her two younger sisters, Mady and Jane, and dreaming about the simple pleasures — like hitting up Casa Vega, a legendary Mexican joint in the Valley, because she’s seriously craving some authentic tacos. You feel that taco withdrawal, right?
From Teen TV to Award-Worthy Roles
If you’ve watched TV or movies anytime in the past decade and a half, you’ve probably seen Kaitlyn somewhere — even if you didn’t realize it. Her journey began as Loretta McCready, the tough, no-nonsense, gun-wielding teen on Justified. Then, she became Tim Allen’s daughter on Last Man Standing, a role that introduced her to a wider audience.
But it was 2019’s Booksmart, the coming-of-age comedy she starred in alongside Beanie Feldstein, that really launched her into the teen movie hall of fame. That film mixed humor with heartfelt moments, and Kaitlyn’s performance was a highlight.
Then came the heavy-hitting dramatic turns: portraying a sexual assault survivor in the critically acclaimed Unbelievable and an opioid addict in Dopesick, both series that demanded a depth and emotional grit that earned her widespread praise. Early this year, she surprised fans again by playing a cancer-faking Australian wellness influencer in the quirky limited series Apple Cider Vinegar.
All of those roles were like training wheels for what came next — her breakthrough as Abby Anderson on HBO’s The Last of Us. Abby is the woman who shocked viewers by killing Joel (played by Pedro Pascal) to avenge her father’s death. Kaitlyn appears in just a handful of episodes in season two, sometimes only a single scene at a time. But if there’s a way to measure acting impact by the sheer force of presence, Kaitlyn is easily the season’s MVP.
The Abby Effect: Making Us Question Heroes
“The Last of Us” co-creator Craig Mazin describes casting Kaitlyn as a kind of secret weapon. “It was like having a quasi-secret that shouldn’t be a secret,” he says. “You couldn’t wait to see how people reacted when they finally saw her.”
Abby’s story is far from over. The second season ended on a note that sets up Abby’s journey through post-apocalyptic Seattle — a world filled with warring factions and fungal-infected monsters — and inevitably, her tense reunion with Ellie, played by Bella Ramsey.
Mazin and Neil Druckmann, who co-created the original The Last of Us game, are both eager to explore Abby’s complexity. They want viewers to wrestle with their feelings — hate, love, confusion — toward a character who defies easy categorization.
“Our challenge is to make you question if you even hate Abby,” Mazin says. “Maybe you start to love her, then get confused. Where are your loyalties? What does it mean to be a hero? That kind of storytelling demands an actor who can deliver those nuances without breaking a sweat. Kaitlyn does that effortlessly.”
Druckmann adds, “What if Abby isn’t so horrible? Watching Kaitlyn bring Abby to life is thrilling because you already see the force she commands, even in brief scenes.”
Triumph in Tragedy: Filming Through Grief
Kaitlyn’s work on The Last of Us happened during an unimaginably difficult time. Fifteen months ago, she lost her mother, Kathy, to breast cancer. Just three days after her mom’s funeral, Kaitlyn was on a plane to Vancouver for filming.
Her first day back on set? The emotionally intense scene where Abby kills Joel.
“It was a moment that instantly bonded me to her,” Mazin says. “I’d literally stand in front of a bullet for Kaitlyn.”
For Kaitlyn, that day is a blur, and watching the episode later was like seeing it anew. “Grief messes with your memory,” she says quietly.
Truthfully, she almost didn’t go. The pain was too raw, and she wasn’t sure she could handle it. But her dad reminded her how excited her mom was when Kaitlyn landed the role. “There was no part of me that couldn’t do it,” she says simply. “I had to do it for her.”
How Kaitlyn Landed Abby
Calling it a “win” might oversimplify it, though. When Kaitlyn was asked to come to casting director Mary Vernieu’s office in Santa Monica, she thought it was an audition — like the one years ago with Druckmann when the game-to-movie talk was first happening.
But it wasn’t an audition. It was a pitch.
Mazin and Druckmann laid out their vision for the show and Abby’s story arc, asking Kaitlyn to trust them. She was so overwhelmed she just tried to hold it together until she could get back to her car and call her dad.
“He freaked out,” she laughs. “He loved the game and Abby’s character, so this was huge.”
And the icing on the cake? The “really big cookie” they gave her when she left. Sometimes, it’s the little things.
Small Stature, Huge Presence
Kaitlyn stands just 5-foot-3 and doesn’t resemble the tall, muscular Abby from the game. That contrast makes her portrayal even more impressive.
“Abby’s strength comes from her dark past and the long time she’s spent thinking about killing Joel,” Kaitlyn explains. “That energy — the emotional weight behind it — is what I wanted to bring to the role.”
Is she a strong person herself?
“Absolutely,” she says. “Strength, to me, is all about how you got here — what you’ve been through and how you’ve handled it emotionally.”
The Hidden Side: Music and Stage Fright
Kaitlyn’s strength meets her kryptonite when it comes to performing music live. Along with her sister Mady, she just released a six-song EP called I Think We're Lost under the name Devers. It’s beautiful folk-pop with the kind of seamless harmonies only siblings can create.
But don’t expect to see her on stage anytime soon. “Performing live terrifies me,” she admits. “My sister can’t believe it — she’s like, ‘You act in front of millions, how are you scared of this?’ But with acting, I’m playing a character. On stage with music, there’s nothing to hide behind.”
Still, songwriting has become a cathartic outlet. Recently, she’s been writing songs about her mom during downtime on Godzilla x Kong. The album she’s working on will be a tribute to her mother, filled with upbeat, happy tracks — the kind her mom loved.
“My mom was like a 17-year-old stuck in a 53-year-old’s body,” Kaitlyn smiles. “She had this youthful energy that was magnetic — full of humor and always wanting to have fun.”
Why We Need a Godzilla Movie Sometimes
Kaitlyn knows the appeal of serious roles — they challenge her and help her process life. But she also appreciates the joy of a giant monster movie.
“There’s a place for a Godzilla movie,” she says with a grin. “It reminds me that life isn’t always heavy. Sometimes, you just need a little fun and imagination.”
Kaitlyn Dever’s journey is a compelling blend of hard-earned emotional depth and a refreshing love for whimsy. Whether she’s bringing complexity to a post-apocalyptic survivor or singing a children’s show theme, Kaitlyn proves that strength can come in many forms — and sometimes, it’s the strength to keep dreaming that matters most.
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