Tati Gabrielle’s journey in the universe of Naughty Dog has been far from peaceful. Already recognized for impactful and dark roles such as those in “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina,” “You,” and “Uncharted,” the actress now portrays two distinct characters: Nora in “The Last of Us” and Jordan A. Mun, the protagonist of the studio’s upcoming game “Intergalactic The Heretic Prophet.” Navigating between assumed spirituality and resilience against online hate, Tati Gabrielle faces a tide of digital violence that she was previously unfamiliar with.
The Spiral of Hate continues at Naughty Dog, where female talent often receives both praise and severe backlash from internet users. This phenomenon is no longer isolated but appears systemic within Naughty Dog’s recent history. Upon the release of “The Last of Us Part II,” Ashley Johnson (Ellie) and Laura Bailey (Abby) faced unprecedented harassment, with Bailey even receiving death threats for voicing Abby, a complex and divisive character brilliantly written. Bella Ramsey followed suit; from her casting announcement as Ellie in the HBO adaptation, she endured attacks that were often sexist, sometimes homophobic, always dishonest, and frequently targeted her physical appearance. Now, Tati Gabrielle enters this storm.
The actress had limited screen time in “Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet,” which was unveiled with great fanfare at the Game Awards 2024, but she quickly became a focal point for anti-woke discussions. She appeared on screen for just a few seconds as a charismatic character with a shaved head, a spaceship, and a red jacket – yet this brief appearance triggered an avalanche of insults, predominantly racist and sexist in nature. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Tati Gabrielle addressed this wave of hate calmly and lucidly.
I have received a significant amount of support, but also encountered considerable criticism due to my gender, ethnicity, and appearance with a shaved head – aspects that I initially did not notice as issues until they were pointed out. Although I do not engage on social media for this reason, once these criticisms came to light, Neil advised me: “Ignore that. Whatever happens, you and I will create something beautiful.”
Neil Druckmann, a key figure at Naughty Dog and co-showrunner of The Last of Us, is aware of the toxicity from certain members of the audience. His decision to cast Tati Gabrielle in the lead role for their new project is both an artistic choice and a deliberate statement: advocating for an inclusive, progressive vision不受社区意见左右。在《最后生还者》的片场，Tati Gabrielle饰演的角色诺拉是一个充满张力的人物，她既不是单纯的执行者也不是单纯的受害者；她体现了一种令人不安的二元性，即一个被恐怖决定机制困住的女人。她在剧中的一场死亡场景中，艾莉在充满孢子的房间内追捕并杀死了她，这一幕是本季最暴力却又最具人性化的时刻之一。她解释道：“我饰演的诺拉从第五集开始就表现得像是断开了连接……直到艾莉直视她的时候，她才意识到一切都结束了。”
In “Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet,” Tati Gabrielle will take on the role of Jordan A. Mun, a lost space bounty hunter stranded on a cursed planet. She embodies a heroine with a strong identity, thrust into a retro-futuristic universe where spirituality, faith, and solitude intertwine. The game explores what it truly means to have faith in a religion, cause, or oneself. However, this foray into video games—her first role in the medium—intimidates her. She admits: “It’s a world I don’t know yet. I want to stay open, not project unrealistic expectations. Not show up thinking I know it all.”
Tati Gabrielle and her firmly held convictions now embody a counter-model, but one thing is certain: she did not come to respond to hate but to navigate through it. Most importantly, she aims to breathe life into worlds that are too vast, complex, and beautiful to be reduced to the anonymous cries of an ill-intentioned internet. In an industry where women—especially women of color—still pay a heavy price for visibility, she moves forward with courage, driven by her personal faith, the support of a major studio, and the conviction that art can still serve as a shield in challenging times. We anticipate that Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet will reveal its first gameplay footage at the upcoming Summer Game Fest in June. Fingers crossed.
