As reported by Deadline, and several other publications, Annie Wersching, most known in the video game space for her portrayal of Tess in The Last of Us, has passed away at age 45. She was apparently diagnosed in 2020, though it’s currently unclear what type of cancer she had, nor what stage it was in. She continued to work following her diagnosis, playing roles in shows like The Rookie and Star Trek: Picard.
There is currently a GoFundMe page available to help support her family following the loss. Its description states that it would aid her husband, actor Stephen Full, in being able to mourn and grieve without the pressure of needing to work, and furthermore, would allow him to better support their children. Wersching was survived by Full, as well as three young boys, ages 12, 9, and 4, respectively.
Full issued a statement to Deadline, which reads in part, “There is a cavernous hole in the soul of this family today. But she left us the tools to fill it. She found wonder in the simplest moment. She didn’t require music to dance. She taught us not to wait for adventure to find you. ‘Go find it. It’s everywhere.’ And find it we shall.”
Many members of the entertainment industry expressed their condolences following the loss. The Last of Us creator Neil Druckmann, as seen above, posted a link to the GoFundMe page, stating, “We just lost a beautiful artist and human being.” Jon Cassar, director of 24, where Wersching played the recurring character of Renee Walker, told Deadline, “My heart is broken in more pieces than I can count. Annie came into my world with an open heart and a contagious smile. Brandishing such talent, she took my breath away.”
It was only a few weeks ago that the character of Tess was played by someone else for the first time, in the form of Anna Torv’s portrayal in the currently ongoing HBO iteration of The Last of Us. Though Tess was only in a fraction of The Last of Us’ campaign, she remains one of the most iconic and remembered characters of that entire franchise, and that’s in no small part due to Wersching’s impactful and powerful performance.