Actor Melanie Lynskey has some sobering words for the fault-finders criticizing her appearance on social media.
The Last of Us star took to Twitter to slam her detractors, singling out a comment by former model and reality TV star Adrianne Curry, who tweeted that Lynskey’s body type was unsuitable for the role of Kathleen. Curry suggested that Terminator star Linda Hamilton would have been more fitting as a post-apocalyptic militant.
Lynskey pointed out that Curry based her comments on a photo from a fashion magazine. Moreover, she said that her character in The Last of Us was a tactician, not an enforcer, and there was no need for her to be powerfully built.
Curry won the first season of America’s Next Top Model in 2003. In 2005, she appeared on The Surreal Life, where she met her first husband, Christopher Knight, a former child star who played Peter Brady on The Brady Bunch.
One user summoned former America’s Next Top Model host Tyra Banks to rescue Curry.
Another user came to Lynskey’s defense and called out Curry for their comments.
Some thought it was unfair to use an unrelated photo to argue that Lynskey wasn’t suitable for the role. They also recognized that Curry’s comment on Lynskey reflects the limits of her imagination.
Dynasty actor Charisma Carpenter came to Lynskey’s defense and urged Curry to reflect on her internalized misogyny.
The Last of Us showrunners Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin have a different view of Lynskey than the former Surreal Life star. In an interview with the show’s official podcast, Mazin said he couldn’t see anyone else as Kathleen, and Druckmann said, “It feels like the role was created for her.”
The Last of Us airs on Sundays on HBO Max.