Isabela Merced Is Breaking Through
The actor discusses her role in the second season of The Last of Us, her part in James Gunn’s Superman reboot, her original music, and her karaoke strategy.
PHOTOGRAPHY Lauren Leekley
STYLED BY Miso Dam
Isabela Merced has had one hell of a year. The actor, 23, is fresh off a bold 2024, when she appeared in Madame Web and Alien: Romulus, and also filmed roles in James Gunn’s Superman and the second season of HBO’s zombie drama The Last of Us, starring Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey. For most young actors, even a small part in any one of these franchises would be a huge step in elevating their profile, but for Merced, being in all four is a continuation of work that stretches back to her breakout role as the live-action version of Dora the Explorer in Dora and the Lost City of Gold.
The Last of Us is poised to put Merced on the map in a much larger way. Her character, Dina, is one of the first new faces introduced in the Season 2 premiere; it’s from her point of view that the audience gains insight into the post-apocalyptic human colony based in Jackson, Wyoming. Resourceful and kinetic, Dina is the personification of hope—a practical light in the darkness, if you will—who manages to find the best in people even in dire times. From comforting Joel (Pascal) in their first interaction to her character’s blossoming romance with Ellie (Ramsey), Dina brings tremendous warmth to a series in which the world is unsparing and scary.
Having spent nine months filming The Last of Us—not to mention squeezing in the Superman shoot—you’d think Merced would be keen to take a break. Instead, she used her downtime to film and direct her first music video, the film noir–inspired “Cuffing Season,” in the middle of it all. L’OFFICIEL sat down with Merced to speak about her biggest year yet, including what it’s like to star in everyone’s favorite dystopian drama.
L’OFFICIEL: Joining a sensation like The Last of Us is no small feat. How would you describe the experience so far?
ISABELA MERCED: It’s been really rewarding. I’ve learned that hard work actually ends up with good results, and all I want to do is work. I’m trying to appreciate and understand every facet of this industry; I spent three full days in the editing room [during production of The Last of Us]. I had never felt comfortable enough to ask to do that before, and I was dying of curiosity. [Series creator] Craig [Mazin] and I are very close now.
"I don’t want friends who aren’t ride-or-dies. If you’re not a ride-or-die, then you’re simply an acquaintance."
L’O: The show’s plot is notoriously kept under wraps. Now that you can talk about your character, Dina, what was your creative process in bringing her to life?
IM: It’s rare to be offered a role right away, but crazily enough, that was the case for The Last of Us. They chose me for me, so I had a lot of freedom to do my own thing. Craig met me and went off of that, which really allowed me to flesh out the character since he was still writing as we filmed. I don’t like to plan things out too meticulously—you just want to feel it out as you go. Plus, if you’re filming with an actor who interprets a scene differently, all of your preconceived ideas are out the window.
L’O: What was it like to work with Bella Ramsey?
IM: I really loved working with Bella. They [Ramsey uses they/them pronouns] are super generous and very receptive, and since I’m older, I also felt as though I could give them some advice. We had each other’s backs, and with that relationship already being so strong, [our scenes] were even better.
L’O: There’s a very protective element to the relationship between your character [Dina] and Bella’s [Ellie], and that closeness has been adapted from the second video game in the franchise, The Last of Us Part II. How would you describe their dynamic in the show?
IM: If I were talking to somebody who hadn’t played the game, I would say it’s going to be really sweet. You’re not sure what the relationship is at first; it takes time to bind itself. Overall, Dina is Ellie’s ride-or-die. To have somebody that committed and understanding, even through tough times, is special. It taught me something about the relationships that I plan to have in my life. To be honest, I don’t want friends who aren’t ride-or-dies. If you’re not a ride-or-die, then you’re simply an acquaintance. And that’s okay. Everyone deserves a Dina, and everyone deserves an Ellie. I think it’s going to be sweet to see these two women pass the Bechdel test.
L’O: Was it challenging to play a character who’s already so beloved in Playstation form?
IM: I played the game, so I was already familiar with [actor] Shannon Woodward ’s amazing work as [the voice of] Dina. Her approach gave me a good baseline of the mood and energy between the two characters. But Bella and I portrayed them as completely different human beings than they are in the game. I think the relationship turned into something a lot more fleshed-out. It’s a full-on story with twists and turns. It’s also something that young gay people can really get invested in, because it’s not just a side story; it is one of the stories in the show. I’ve never gotten to fall in love in such a length of time on screen--it’s usually been kind of rushed. Like, I fell in love right away in Rosaline [the 2022 modern retelling of Romeo and Juliet; Merced played Juliet], but this was such a beautiful slow burn. I’m very excited to torture, but also please, the audience with this build-up.
"The older I get, the more I’m like, How do I go back to who I was as a kid?"
L’O: One of your Rosaline co-stars, Kaitlyn Dever, also appears in this season of The Last of Us. When did you find out that she was joining the show?
IM: I had heard rumors, but I didn’t know how to bring it up. You don’t want to jinx things for yourself, either—and until there’s a contract in place, I’m a little superstitious. But Kaitlyn and I have worked together before and she’s an amazing actor, so I knew that would be great casting. We eventually texted each other a very hesitant Are you doing this role…? And then it happened, and I saw her in Vancouver.
L’O: What was it like on the set?
IM: I’ve never been on a set for that long—it was pretty much nine months. Everyone was really nurturing and accepting of my personality. I’m silly and goofy on set; no matter how dark the scene, I like to keep it light in between [takes]. I reserve the emotions for the work. Whenever I needed some peace, I would sit and play my guitar. Bella is also very musically inclined and has a beautiful voice, and Young [Mazino, who stars as Jesse] sings and plays guitar, too. When we filmed our Dina, Jesse, and Ellie scenes, I would bring my guitar and we’d pass it around, each playing the chorus of a song that we liked. Usually everyone’s just on their phones in the green room, so it was a nice way for us to stick together.
L’O: Do you typically bring that love of music to your roles?
IM: I use music a lot to set the tone for a character. I actually have a playlist for Dina and Ellie. It includes this song called “Baby Says” by The Kills, which Pedro played for me on set. A few others are “Velvet Ring” by Big Thief, “Candy” by Mk.gee, and, funnily enough, “Zombie Girl” by Adrianne Lenker. Another artist I referenced during filming was Jessica Pratt. I managed to see her live in Vancouver during filming, which was incredible.
L’O: You recently codirected and produced the music video for your own song, “Cuffing Season.” What was that like?
IM: I’ve dabbled [with directing] in the past, but I never fully believed in myself until my friend told me to “decolonize my mind.” That was a good little quote. I’ve always downplayed my role in things because I didn’t want to overstep. I’d fully explain my vision and tell others how to execute it, but I wouldn’t take credit. I think people are often given credit for things they don’t deserve, but I should at least take credit for things that I do deserve. So I’m trying to stop minimizing my accomplishments and learning to trust myself, state my contributions, and be proud of them. I can confidently say that the vision for this video came from my mind. When I was writing the song, I pictured where I wanted to perform it, and that was a dive bar. One of those basement ones, where it’s kind of moldy and probably doesn’t have good air quality.
L’O: Those are the best ones, though.
IM: The dirtiest, dingiest dive bars are my favorite. I spent a lot of time in those while filming The Last of Us, so I get the vibe. Sometimes, we’d go to a dive bar in the middle of rural Canada just to play pool. And then there’d be karaoke night, and we’d sing.
L’O: What’s your go-to karaoke song?
IM: If I’m in the South, I’ll do some Shania Twain. At a gay bar in Los Angeles, you have to go with either Chappell Roan or Avril Lavigne. I find myself at a lot of gay bars now. For straight bars, you have to go with something like—oh, my friend did “A Boy Named Sue” once, and that was fun. I like to read the room.
"At the end of the day, just pretend, and if you care about it, it will be good. It will be great and change somebody's life."
L’O: Your range is admirable. Speaking of, from Alien to Transformers to Dora to The Last of Us to Superman, it feels like you’re the queen of intellectual property. Is that intentional, or are those just the projects that you think are cool?
IM: I love the source material, usually. Anything nerdy, Sci-Fi, or gay, I’m into it. Also, as an actor, you can’t say no. You can say no, but there are some things you just don’t say no to, you know? I’ve had such cool opportunities, and I could not live with myself if I said no to Alien or The Last of Us. I have to go along for the ride.
L’O: Was Superman something that you couldn’t say no to?
IM: I like Superman, but I might be a bigger fan of Batman. [Laughs.] I do like DC, because that was my vibe as a kid. But James Gunn was the reason I hopped onto this. He was very kind, which is all you can hope for. On the last day of auditions, I had already taken my makeup off and was about to leave when someone pulled me into a trailer and said, “You got the role. You’re going to be Hawkgirl.” I didn’t know what to do. I was speechless. The first thing that came out of my mouth was, Oh my God, I can’t wait to tell my mom. Then I started crying.
L’O: Have you thought about the fact that young girls today might see you as their defining take on Hawkgirl?
IM: If I have the kids’ love and approval, I’ll feel like I’ve made it. The older I get, the more I’m like, How do I go back to who I was as a kid? I was definitely way cooler as a kid. To think that I might have my favorite audience as fans? That would be incredible.
L’O: Are there ever any moments where you still feel like a kid?
IM: Every day. And I hope I continue to feel that way. Being a kid just means having a fresh perspective—things are never boring, because everything is new. If I can look at life that way and approach every day like that…it’s not that I’m avoiding sadness, but I’m trying to avoid pessimism. But I did feel like a kid every day on the set of The Last of Us. I was able to relax and have fun, and I’m trying to get better at that because it’s never that serious. That’s my motto. At the end of the day, just pretend, and if you care about it, it will be good. It will be great and change somebody’s life.
This is one of the L'OFFICIEL May 2025 cover stories. Buy the issue here.
HAIR: Ricky Fraser THE WALL GROUP
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PRODUCED BY: Fox & Leopard
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