We've only recently been introduced to Tess, a character who will appear in The Last of Us and was first revealed in the story trailer. Now, Naughty Dog has taken to the PlayStation blog to provide a few more details on her background.
Tess is Joel's partner, and while Eric Monacelli, Naughty Dog's Community Strategist, mentions that “she questions whether Joel shares the same emotions that she feels for him”, “partner” is not meant in a romantic sense. Instead, Tess works with Joel, and the two have a reputation among other criminals for being particularly ruthless.
Tess herself works in the black market. Monacelli writes that she is “a savvy strategist and negotiator”, and that she's particularly skilled at making plans to obtain the contraband they need to sell. Like Joel, she lives by that dog-eat-dog philosophy, and survives through a willingness to do things others can't or won't.
Tess is voiced by Annie Wersching. One of her many TV roles was that of Renee Walker in 24, so it's obvious she knows just how to portray a tough character. And with the motion capture technology that is being used in creating The Last of Us, she should be able to make the most of her skills.