For another, she already had a working relationship with Neil Druckman, who will be part of the TV show’s creative team (along with Chernobyl showrunner Craig Mazen).
Rather than playing completely coy or avoiding the question altogether, Kaitlyn Dever actually made a case for herself to be cast as Ellie for the HBO adaptation of The Last of Us.
For one, she’s a fan of the game independently of anyone’s plans to get it adapted for live-action.
Obviously that’s not the recipe for a guaranteed acting gig in Hollywood, since such guarantees don’t exist, but Dever’s enthusiasm goes a long way.