TLOU 2 actor Ian Alexander speaks out about queer representation in media
Queer representation has been slowly but surely improving throughout the years, but for TLOU 2 (The Last of Us Part 2) actor Ian Alexander, there’s still a lot more that media has to do before queer folks and fans can rest on their laurels.
Ian Alexander plays Lev in TLOU 2, a young Seraphite who abandons his community alongside his sister Yara after he declares himself a man and refuses to become the wife of an Elder. This eventually leads Lev to run into Abby, and they both end up forming an unlikely, but unbreakable bond.
The reaction to Lev was overwhelmingly positive, and some have even wondered if a sequel to TLOU 2 would indeed follow Abby and Lev instead of Ellie.
Though whether Lev will be taking on a bigger role in The Last of Us 3, a game that has somewhat been confirmed or if Alexander will even be a part of it, remains to be seen.
However, since their time working as Lev, Alexander has gone on to perform as Gray Tal in Star Trek: Discovery and has an upcoming role as Brother in Daughter.
In an interview with our very own Robin Gray, Alexander was asked about whether it was important that media like film, TV and, of course, video games kept pushing for LGBTQ+ representation and narratives.
“It’s so important! I mean, there will always be the haters that say they’re sick of seeing LGBTQ+ people in the media. For every hater, there are twice as many people who are begging for more representation.” Alexander responded. “There’s such a high demand for more diversity in media, and having just a few token LGBTQ+ characters isn’t cutting it anymore.”
However it wasn’t just the need for queer representation in front of the camera that mattered to Alexander, but the people behind the camera too. For too long the focus has been to see queerness in front of the camera and to consume it for ourselves, but what of the people who are creating these authentic, meaningful stories for queer audiences to fall in love with?
“On a film I worked on, Daughter, the crew was almost entirely people of color, especially women of color, and a lot of us were a part of the LGBTQ+ community,” Alexander tells us. “It’s the most diverse project I’ve been a part of yet, where behind the camera there was diversity too. In the crew, in the production office, in every part of the film.”
Currently, they are working on becoming a Partner on Twitch, and is looking to stream more D&D activities for his fans.
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