You’d think that Bella Ramsey, the Game of Thrones alum who identifies as non-binary, would be the exact star we’re referring to when discussing the “homosexual agenda.” But that’s not the case. While it’s already been proven that Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal are allies to the LGBTQIA+ community, it was time for another The Last of Us star to shine. Back in early February, right before the show’s fourth episode — “Please Hold to My Hand” — aired, an internet troll commented on a tweet from Bloody Disgusting that introduced Melanie Lynskey, the actress who portrays Kansas City resistance leader Kathleen, to the HBO series. Lynskey was quick to the mark in shutting down the ignorant response, simultaneously earning herself the status of “gay icon” among the fans.
In the tweet, the troll labeled Lynskey’s mere presence in The Last of Us as “homosexual agenda pushing.” Should we tell them about Ellie’s “awakening” in The Last of Us: Part II? No, we’ll keep that to ourselves. Rather hilariously, Lynskey replied in full spirits: “OMG yes let me push that homosexual agenda just by showing up! An honour!” From that moment on, fans had deemed her a gay ally/icon. Kathleen’s sexuality is never explicitly stated in The Last of Us, so maybe there’s some room for speculation?
In light of the recent Barbie movie posters, which show off all the actors and provide a short, one-sentence biography for their character, one fan took it upon themselves to craft Lynskey a poster of her very own. Surprisingly well-edited, the image sees Melanie Lynskey’s headshot pasted under the Barbie font, while the short bio copies the format of the Barbie movie’s own posters by starting out with “This Barbie is…” For Lynskey, this Barbie is “pushing the homosexual agenda.”
The Last of Us and Barbie — who could think of a more unorthodox yet wildly entertaining crossover? Even Lynskey herself approved of the poster, finding it just as hilarious as we imagine the thousands of other people who liked her tweet must have. Although Kathleen met her demise in the show, we can’t deny Lynskey’s intimidating on-screen presence. We certainly hope to see more of her in the future.