Annie Wersching, best known for voicing Tess from The Last Of Us, dies aged 45

Annie Wersching, best known for her role as Tess in Naughty Dog’s award-winning videogame The Last of Us, lost her life to cancer yesterday (January 29) - exactly a week since Tess sacrifices herself in HBO’s The Last Of Us.

In a statement to Deadline, her husband, actor Stephen Full said, “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".

Wersching began her acting career in the early 2000s and quickly made a name for herself with small, captivating performances.

She landed the role of Tess in The Last of Us, a post-apocalyptic survival game developed by Naughty Dog. As Tess, Wersching portrayed a tough, resourceful woman who helps the main characters, Joel and Ellie, navigate the dangerous world they find themselves in.

Wersching's portrayal of Tess was widely praised by fans and critics alike. Her voice acting brought the character to life, capturing the complexity and humanity of a woman struggling to survive in a world gone mad. Her performance was a critical component of the game's success, helping to make The Last of Us one of the most acclaimed video games of all time.

In addition to her memorable role in The Last of Us, Annie Wersching made numerous contributions to the world of television. Over the course of her career, she appeared in a wide variety of projects, showcasing her versatility as an actress and her ability to bring life to even the most challenging of characters.

One of Wersching's most notable roles in television was as a recurring character on the popular drama series 24, where she played FBI agent Renee Walker. Her performance on 24 was widely praised, and she quickly became a fan favorite for her portrayal of a strong and capable woman character in an environment particularly dominated by men.

She was also known for her roles in the Star Trek franchise and the hit supernatural drama series The Vampire Diaries. In The Vampire Diaries, Wersching appeared as an antagonist Lily Salvatore and one of her final roles was as the Borg Queen in Star Trek: Picard; exactly two decades after she made her screen acting debut in an episode of Star Trek: Enterprise.

However, it’s Wersching's role as Tess that cemented her place in the hearts of gamers everywhere - a role that has now been brought to screen by Anna Torv in HBO’s adaptation of The Last Of Us. 

In a befitting sense of irony, Wersching lost her life exactly one week after her character Tess sacrificed her life in Episode 2 of HBO’s The Last Of Us. Set to premiere today, Episode 3 titled "Long, Long Time" will be dedicated to Wersching . Co-writer and director of the series Craig Mazin confirmed a tribute will be added sometime soon for Annie after the third episode premieres.

Wersching is survived by her husband and three children - Freddie (12) Ozzie and Archie (4).