This article contains spoilers for The Last of Us episode five, “Endure and Survive.”
Actor Jeffrey Pierce has come to the defense of his The Last of Us co-star, Melanie Lynskey.
Per Entertainment Weekly, Pierce took umbrage at critics who complained that Lynskey’s body type did not conform to their stereotype of a post-apocalyptic warlord. The actor expressed his dismay over the narrow representation of power in Hollywood and praised showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann for challenging outdated clichés.
“I think it just shows an embarrassing lack of understanding of the world. Look, I would say that Hollywood has done a terrible job of creating the mythology of, what is a man? What is a woman? What are these aesthetics that we hold up as power? And so I think that, in this particular story, because of who [showrunners] Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann are, we get to turn those narratives on their head.”
The attack on Lynskey’s appearance came from former model and reality tv show star Adrianne Curry, who won the first cycle of America’s Next Top Model in 2003. Curry posted a glamorous photo of Lynskey with the caption:
“Her body says life of luxury…not post apocolyptic [sic] warlord. Where is Linda Hamilton when you need her?”
Lynskey fired back and rebuked Curry for using a photo out of context and failing to understand that tactical leaders require intelligence, not muscle. Curry’s attempt to police Lynskey’s physical appearance fell flat as people slammed her tweet. Among them was Dynasty star Charisma Carpenter, who encouraged the former model to rethink her internalized misogyny.
In response to the backlash against her comments, Curry has deleted her Twitter account.
Almost all of Pierce’s scenes on the last of us are with Lynskey and said that he admires his co-star’s leadership in the face of criticism. He also expressed pride in the creative team of The Last of Us, adding that challenging the status quo can create teaching moments that move society forward.
“That this casting [of Lynskey] can trigger people’s stupid response to body image somehow having a bearing on who that person is at their core, yeah, it’s important that triggers. Be trigged! And then be faced with it with the grace, and the courage, and the calm that Melanie has faced in this moment. More people are gonna learn from that lesson, from her handling it the way she did, than if the ugliness had never reared its head.”
The showrunners were very deliberate in their choice of Lynskey for the role of Kathleen. Druckmann told The Last of Us Podcast, “It feels like the role was created for her.”
The Last of Us airs on Sundays on HBO Max.