Culture – 17 hours ago

Photo Credit: HBO

Actress Storm Reid had some choice words for homophobic critics of HBO show The Last of Us. In a recent interview with Variety, the 19-year-old Atlanta native clapped back at trolls, citing recent Last of Us episode “Left Behind.” In the flashback episode, Reid, who plays Riley and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) enjoy a night out at an abandoned mall where the two share a kiss and confess their feelings for each other. Critics against the public display of affection between two women blasted the episode in IMDB reviews, also condemning third episode, “Long Long Time.”

“I think Bella put it perfectly a couple of weeks ago: ‘If you don’t like it, don’t watch,’” Reid told Variety when asked about the potential homophobic backlash to “Left Behind.” “There’s so many other things to worry about in the world. I think being concerned about who people love is just absurd to me. I just don’t — I will never understand it. I don’t get it.”

“I think despite what people are going to say, if they don’t like it, I think there are going to be a lot more people that appreciate it,” Reid continued. “A lot more people that feel represented and seen and heard. So that’s what matters.”

In a separate interview with GQ, Ramsey told viewers to get used to the presence of queer and trans characters on the hit HBO show.

“I’m not particularly anxious about it,” Ramsey said. She added, “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.”