Dina is such a beloved character from the games. Did you feel any pressure stepping into her shoes?
Isabela Merced: Yeah! I mean, I feel like I’ve got a really a crazy opportunity considering they didn’t even have me audition; they just offered the role to me. So yes, I felt a bunch of pressure, but not necessarily from the fans of the game. Because that wasn’t real to me, it wasn’t something I could perceive first hand. More so, I wanted to make sure Craig, Neil, and Halle were happy, you know, the people that brought this show alive. I was like a little kid, being like, “Hey, hey parents! Look at me score this goal, watch me!”. It was interesting, I just wanted to make sure they were happy with what I did with the character.
Wow, great! Your relationship with Ellie shows that even in a post-apocalyptic world, there’s still space for love. It’s an incredible thing, actually. What kind of hope do you think their relationship brings to audiences?
Isabela Merced: I think it brings hope. What I appreciated and admired about their relationship was their devotion to each other. At least Dina’s devotion to Ellie. It’s clear that there’s love there. We’re not sure what kind of love, but we learn eventually throughout the season. And I think what’s beautiful is that she and Ellie bring out this really beautiful side to each other, and they have solace within each other. And I think all you can really hope for, even in a non-post-apocalyptic situation, is to find a connection like that in real life. That sort of ride-or-die companion.
Also, this season has a powerful mix of emotional and action-packed scenes. What kind of physical preparation did you go through to bring Dina to life?
Isabela Merced: Yeah, we would do horse training at the Danny Virtue Ranch, and I did firearms training. And I did just physical training in general. I would say. Also, for the dance portion, we had a few dance lessons to choreograph that sequence, Ellie watching me in the New Year’s Eve dance.
What was the most challenging but also the most rewarding scene you filmed in this season? If you can tell, of course.
Isabela Merced: I cannot tell you that. But I mean, I could talk about the first episode. I mean, when we were riding those horses in the snow down the highway because we were doing patrol, it was minus 20-something. I couldn’t believe how cold it was. And it was the hardest, most difficult challenge I’ve ever had as an actor, pretending that it wasn’t that cold. I mean, it was bone-chilling. And thankfully, we were pampered and we were taken care of, but it was just like, you have to suck it up at some point. Because you want the scene to be great. And that was cold, acting versus the elements is probably one of the most challenging things I’ve ever done.
It’s truly the most challenging thing. And for my last question: did you play the games? And if so, was there a specific moment when you thought, “Okay, this is it, I am this character now”?
Isabela Merced: I went in with no expectations when I was playing the game. It was before I knew what character they were wanting to meet with me about, so I didn’t know who. But I do remember loving the games. I played them in one weekend. Only the second game, I didn’t play the first game, I will one day. And I just remember particularly being a huge fan of the Dina-Ellie relationship, specifically the music shop scene where Ellie plays the guitar for Dina. I’m so glad they included that in the series.
