Bella Ramsey, star of HBO’s The Last of Us, candidly reacts to the homophobic reaction the series has actually been getting. Based on the 2013 computer game of the exact same name, The Last of Us is an apocalyptic zombie tv series established for HBO, starring Ramsey as Ellie and Pedro Pascal asJoel While the core of the program focuses on the growing dynamic in between Ellie and Joel, and their efforts to endure in an unwelcoming world, The Last of Us has actually presented a variety of supporting characters, a few of which are honestly queer. This has actually drawn both favorable and unfavorable actions.


In an interview with GQ, Ramsey addresses the homophobic reaction The Last of Us has actually gotten for illustrating queer characters and relationships. Rather than offering a more neutral reaction, the star strongly specifies she isn’t going to be cowed by the unfavorable actions. Read Ramsey’s complete quote below:

“I know people will think what they want to think. But they’re gonna have to get used to it. If you don’t want to watch the show because it has gay storylines, because it has a trans character, that’s on you, and you’re missing out. It isn’t gonna make me afraid. I think that comes from a place of defiance.”


Queer Representation in The Last of Us

Last of Us Bill and Frank at the piano

Ramsey’s remark begins the heels of The Last of Us episode 3, “Long, Long Time,” which follows the decades-long relationship in between armageddon survivors Bill (Nick Offerman) and Frank (Murray Bartlett). Though the episode has actually been seriously well-known, some audiences required to evaluate websites to bomb the episode’s scores exclusively since it concentrated on a gay relationship. Despite the review-bombing, nevertheless, The Last of Us isn’t avoiding informing queer stories.

Queer stories are critical to the Last of Us franchise, especially in the initial computer game’s follow up. While Ellie’s sexuality is meant throughout the very first video game, the follow up validates her to be lesbian and sees her dating fellow survivorDina Though there was some issue that the HBO tv adjustment would remove or play-down Ellie’s identity, The Last of Us co-creator and co-writer Craig Mazin validated that Ellie’s sexuality will be effectively depicted in the series.

Though Ellie’s queerness hasn’t been checked out much yet on The Last of Us, there have actually been some tips that the series will expose more of her story in the future. There are numerous other queer characters and relationships throughout the Last of Us video games, and if episode 3 is any indicator, the series isn’t pulling back from informing queer stories even if of homophobic reaction. Ramsey stated it finest in her remark, which is that anybody switching off The Last of Us just since it informs queer stories is going to lose out on a really amazing program.

Source: GQ