The Last of Us Star Merle Dandridge Shares Swimsuit Photo “Summer of Light”

The Last of Us star Merle Dandridge is still in a summer state of mind, despite the fall weather (that’s Los Angeles for you!). Dandridge, who plays Marlene on the hit HBO show, shared some pictures of herself from the beach, posing in a yacht in a black bikini and white hat. Spoiler alert, she looks absolutely amazing for any age, let alone 48. “Summer of light 💫,” she captioned the post. Here’s how Dandridge gets that incredible physique.

1. Barre and Yoga

---

Dandridge takes group glasses as well as working out with a trainer. “My trainer, Amoila Cesar, gets lots of results out of me by appealing to my ‘no quit,’ competitive side,” she says. “He yells and I love it. During quarantine, I got my fix by doing his 6 Weeks of THE WORK on Beachbody on Demand. I also love a rigorous barre class and need daily yoga.”

2. Meditation and Prayer

Shutterstock

Dandridge tries to meditate, write, and sweat every day. “Stillness has served me so much when life gets overwhelming and gives my spirit space to really invite God into whatever I might be dealing with,” she says. “I write because I'm an artist and I'm much more articulate on the page. I've always been athletic, so it's important to me to honor my body and keep it strong. Moreover, it's a great tool to digest and move through the stresses that a pandemic and civil unrest can bring.”

3. Holistic Health

Dandridge has a holistic view to health and wellness. “I love a good workout,” she says. “Moving my body at the gym, in yoga, dance or Taekwondo; I love to be physical. We have this one life, this one body—take care of yourself, so you can show up with joy and gratitude. Then, when I wash the day off, my go-to’s are Barbara Sturm’s enzyme cleanser ($75), PCA Skin’s Hyaluronic Acid Serum ($124) and moisturizer by Retrouve ($200).”

4. Asian Food

Shutterstock

Dandridge’s favorite snack is half an avocado with lemon and truffle salt. “Food is so important to physical and emotional health and, right now, comfort is also a big factor,” she says. “Growing up with an Asian mother, soup and noodles are a huge staple. So, I love to boil a bone broth. I throw in garlic and onion, sometimes veggies, and I love to crack an egg into it.”

5. Self-Care Advocate

Dandridge swears by float spas for the ultimate relaxation. “I’m a big advocate for self-care and wellness,” she says. “I love to hit up a float spa. The sensory deprivation and weightlessness are fantastic meditation tools. The high intensity of salt water will heal a lot of aches. I’m a Broadway girl first, so music is a great revitalizer for me.”