The actress Storm Reid, who played Riley in the video game-inspired show ‘The Last of Us’, has spoken about her thoughts on the show’s depiction of queer relationships. We break down the details of what Storm Reid had to say.
Storm Reid’s Stance On ‘Last of Us’ Storyline
As reported by TMZ, Storm Reid has received mixed reactions from fans and critics alike for portraying Ellie’s best friend and first love. Fans have complimented Reid for her emotional portrayal of Riley, but critics do not like that the show includes an episode on Ellie and Riley’s sexual orientation. Despite all the backlash, Reid has remained steadfast in her belief that the lesbian storyline serves a purpose.
The show’s seventh episode, ‘Left Behind’, features Ellie’s backstory before she met Joel. Riley was a classmate of Ellie’s in a military-style school who encouraged her to sneak out past bedtime one night. Their escapade culminates in a kissing scene.
Storm Reid has previously given a statement to Entertainment Weekly about her performance in the seventh episode, telling haters to listen to Bella Ramsey’s advice of not watching the show if they don’t like it. Reid then said people should get their priorities straight because two girls in love should be the least of their worries.
The young star also said, “We’re telling stories of people’s experiences, and that’s what I live for” and “There’s just so much that goes into the complexity of what the episode is. Furthermore, the complexity of Ellie and Riley’s relationship is what I find just so beautiful.”
The sapphic kiss between Ellie and Riley is directly adapted from the game’s downloadable content expansion, which came out in 2013.
Image credit: Liane Hentscher/HBO
‘Last of Us’ Gay Representation
Ellie and Riley are not the only LGBTQ+ pairing shown in the HBO post-apocalyptic horror-action-drama. The third episode of the show, ‘Long, Long Time’ has two gay characters in it, namely Bill and Frank. The actors who play the men, Nick Offerman and Murray Bartlett respectively, have been criticized by opponents of same-sex relationships too.
Image credit: HBO
Published by HOLR Magazine