Bella Ramsey, star of HBO’s The Last of Us, has dismissed any concerns regarding backlash from conservative audiences against the show’s LGBTQ+ storylines. Despite criticism from homophobic viewers, Ramsey has said in a recent interview with GQ that the show’s detractors will “have to get used to it”.
Ramsey’s character, Ellie, is a lesbian in the series and the show faithfully adapts the queer elements of the video game on which it is based. The third episode, which focuses on the love story between Bill and Frank, has been review-bombed by homophobic audiences on platforms such as Metacritic and IMDB.
Ramsey has been a vocal advocate for gender fluidity and non-binary identities. They wore a chest binder for “90 per cent” of filming The Last of Us and said they don’t identify with the gender binary. Ramsey has, however, expressed that playing more feminine characters can be empowering, describing it as a chance to be someone who is the opposite of themselves.