The introduction of the love story between characters Bill (Nick Offerman) and Frank (Murray Bartlett)—despite being loved and lauded by the majority of The Last of Us fans—has garnered the series more than its fair share of criticism from homophobic viewers. The show's star, Bella Ramsey, recently their two cents about it, saying in an interview with GQ that fans—homophobic fans, in particular—would have to "get used to it."
Although Ramsey does not bear the same burden as their character Ellie in the series does—who might actually be carrying the key to saving the world—they do their best to represent the queer community in real life by fighting for them the best way they know how. Talking with GQ about the show's sequel, Ramsey expressed that the writers of the series might continue to intimately "follow the storyline of the games" and expressed their delight over the fact that Ellie might be soon accompanied by Dina, a woman whom the character has a relationship with in the game's sequel.
The Last of Us has always represented the queer community in both games and series alike. Ellie, for one, confirmed in the game that she isn't particularly fond of men. That, of course, was a massive feat in the gaming community. But Ellie is not the only queer character in the game, with Dina, Bill, Frank, and Lev—a trans character introduced in The Last of Us Part II—proving that The Last of Us (whether in games or on television) has always been and will always be queer. Although that fact alone could spark another round of controversy for the show, Ramsey is "not particularly anxious about it." She continued:
“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.”
Ramsey previously shared in an interview with the New York Times that she identifies as non-binary, using any pronouns, specifically "she/her" and "they/them." And although the series has been facing controversies due to its queer representation, Ramsey loves being a part of The Last of Us. "Signing on to a series is such a risk, because if I hate this, then I’m potentially tied into it for years, and I didn’t want to be tied into something I didn’t enjoy,” they said, adding: “But I would honestly do this for years.”
What is The Last of Us About?
In The Last of Us, Joel (Pedro Pascal), a grizzled survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie (Ramsey), a 14-year-old girl who may be humanity's last hope, out of a quarantine zone. However, what starts out as a job quickly turns into a heartwrenching journey as they have to rely on each other for survival, all while navigating the now fungus-infected United States.
Besides Ramsey, Pascal, Offerman, and Bartlett, other cast members also include Gabriel Luna, Merle Dandridge, Lamar Johnson, Melanie Lynskey, Keivonn Woodard, Jeffrey Pierce, John Getz, Samuel Hoeksema, Olivier Ross-Parent, and Graham Greene, among others.
The Last of Us airs on HBO and HBO Max every Sunday at 9 p.m. ET. Check out the trailer for Episode 6 down below: