() — “The Last of Us“has its fans and, naturally, its critics.
Actress Storm Reid shared her opinion on something that has drawn the ire of some viewers of the HBO drama: the portrayal of same-sex relationships.
The 19-year-old star spoke to EW about the homophobic backlash after Episode 3, which focused on the love story between characters Bill, played by Nick Offerman, and Frank, played by Murray Bartlett.
Reid appears in episode 7 as Riley, who has his own gay love affair on the show with co-star Bella Ramsey.
“As Bella said when episode 3 came out: if you don’t like it, don’t watch it,” Reid told EW. “We’re telling important stories. We’re telling people’s experiences, and that’s what I live for. That’s what good storytelling does, because we’re telling stories of people who are taking up space in the world.”
As for his own history on the series, Reid said, “This is 2023. If you’re worried about who I love, then I need you to get your priorities straight.”
“There are so many other things to worry about in life,” he said. “Why do you care that these young people—or anyone—love each other? Love is beautiful, and the fact that people have things to say about it doesn’t make sense.”
“The Last of Us” is based on a popular video game of the same name. HBO and are part of Warner Bros. Discovery.
