The live-action adaptation of The Last of Us received almost universal praise since its first episode premiered in mid-January. However, it came under fire for its queer representation in some episodes in the following weeks. Does the series have forced diversity,?
The third episode, which revolves around Bill and Frank's openly homosexual romance, was subject to review bombing upon its release. Many users posted homophobic messages and argued that it was LGBT propaganda. Faced with the wave of criticism, actors and other production personnel defended themselves.
A similar narrative was experienced in episode 9, which adapts the events of Left Behind, a DLC for The Last of Us. A sector of the community condemned Ellie and Riley's friendship and romance, and even a country censored the kissing scene. Storm Reid, who played Riley in the live-action series, denounced the homophobic comments and stated that "love is beautiful."
It is clear that many users believe that The Last of Us series has forced inclusion. Is that really the case? While everyone will have their own opinion on the matter, Bella Ramsey, who played Ellie, spoke about this controversial topic.
In an interview with L'Officiel, the 19-year-old actress discussed the importance of queer or LGBTQIA+ representation. Regarding The Last of Us, she said she connected with the idea of including characters from these communities in the story from the moment she read the script.
"I remember the character description that came up in the initial email about Ellie. Part of what Craig wrote in his description was 'she's gay and doesn't care.' Or I think the exact words were 'doesn't give a damn what you think.' I loved that from the get-go," the celebrity said.
Certainly, many people on social media argue that the presence of LGBTQIA+ characters in this and other series is just about fulfilling a representation quota. For Bella Ramsey, that's not the case with The Last of Us. Specifically, she says that the inclusion feels organic and in tune with the story.
"Gay people exist. So why shouldn't they exist in the apocalypse? I really liked that it didn't feel forced. It was so integral to this story, and it was done organically, so it didn't feel like 'Oh, we're just putting these queer people in for representation.' That's the story, and it's just a story of two people who love each other. It was really beautiful," Bella Ramsey concluded.
But tell us, do you agree with the actress's statements? Let us know in the comments.
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