Melanie Lynskey, who plays Ellie in The Last of Us, has no patience for homophobic trolls and calls them out in the most effective way imaginable.
A new person with the name Kathleen will be introduced to the audience in the fourth episode of the television programme that is based on the video game series with the same name.
Kathleen, who is portrayed by Melanie, is the head of a revolutionary organisation in Kansas City. Craig Mazin, who is also a co-showrunner on the show, came up with the idea for this new character and modelled her after the leader of a gang of hunters in the game.
Ahead of her debut in the post-apocalyptic drama – after Bill and Frank’s heartfelt story in episode 3 left fans sobbing all over the world – horror-based media site Bloody Disgusting tweeted: ‘What can you expect from this Sunday’s episode of #TheLastOfUs? For starters, Melanie Lynskey!’
Underneath the tweet, a troll then responded: ‘More homosexual agenda pushing…’
However, Melanie took the unsolicited remark in her stride, reposting the interaction while expressing how proud she was to ‘push that homosexual agenda’.
‘OMG yes let me push that homosexual agenda just by showing up! An honour!’ she quipped in response.
And this is the proper way to do it.
Melanie’s supporters have referred to her as a “icon” for the scathing answer she gave, and one of them tweeted the following: ‘If I wasn’t already watching TLOU, this would motivate me to watch it even more.’
‘You’re an icon, a legend, a mother to all,’ someone else told the Yellowjackets actor, while another wrote: ‘That’s mother right there.’
One person said that ‘as a homosexual I sign off on this,’ while another remarked that while they had been considering watching The Last of Us, Melanie’s tweet gave them the ‘reason to take the plunge’.
‘I’m 100% for homosexual agenda pushing. After thousands of years of heterosexual agenda pushing we need a break,’ someone else said, as another added: ‘We love a homosexual agenda pushing Queen!!!!’
Other fans pointed out how strange it was to say that The Last of Us was “promoting a homosexual agenda,” given that the main character of the video game, Ellie, is depicted in the canon as being homosexual.
And even if she wasn’t, do those who engage in homophobic trolling not have anything more productive to do with their time?
The Last of Us is available to watch on Sky and NOW, with new episodes released on Mondays.