The Last of Us star Storm Reid has shared a defiant message with homophobic fans of the series.
In the hit HBO drama, Reid plays Riley, a character who appears as a love interest to Ellie (Bella Ramsey) in episode seven.
The series has drawn praise for its depiction of same-sex relationships, including in its third episode, which focused on the love affair between Bill (Nick Offerman) and Frank (Murray Bartlet).
Episode seven also drew effusive praise from viewers on social media, with many describing the events of the episode as “heartbreaking”.
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Reid addressed homophobic viewers of the series.
“Like Bella said when episode three came out: If you don’t like it, don’t watch,” she said.
“We are telling important stories. We’re telling stories of people’s experiences, and that’s what I live for. That’s what makes good storytelling because we are telling stories of people who are taking up space in the world.”
The actor continued: “It’s 2023. If you’re concerned about who I love, then I need you to get your priorities straight. There’s so many other things to worry about in life. Why are you concerned that these young people – or anybody – love each other? Love is beautiful, and the fact that people have things to say about it, it’s just nonsense.”
In her comments, Reid alluded to comments made by Ramsey following the airing of episode three.
“I know people will think what they want to think,” Ramsey told British GQ. “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.”
In another interview, Reid also celebrated the “beautiful” experience of playing a young, queer Black character.
