Nick Offerman speaks out about homophobic hate ‘The Last of Us’ received
This past Sunday, Nick Offerman took to the stage at the Independent Spirit Awards in California to accept his award for Best Supporting Performance in a New Scripted Series as the character Bill in HBO’s The Last Of Us.
Alongside co-star Murray Bartlett, who played his on-screen lover, Frank, Offerman’s role as Bill mesmerized the world as they showed just how beautiful love could be — even in a post-apocalyptic drama, where the infected roam and the risk of death is an everyday occurrence.
In comparison to the story of Bill and Frank in Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us, the HBO show’s portrayal of the couple was much more loving and moving in its depiction. More importantly, it did not end on a sour note and has led many who have both watched the show and played the game to feel as though HBO did right by the couple.
Of course, as with any other time that an LGBTQ+ storyline and characters get featured, a loud-mouthed minority felt threatened and review-bombed the show at the airing of its third episode, which features Bartlett and Offerman’s characters.
It was this level of hatred that Offerman’s acceptance speech addressed during his win.
“Thanks to HBO for having the guts to participate in this storytelling tradition that is truly independent.” Offerman stated. “Stories with guts that when homophobic hate comes my way and says, ‘Why did you have to make it a gay story?’ We say, ‘Because you ask questions like that. It’s not a gay story it’s a love story, you asshole.”
The Last of Us Season 2 is currently in production on its second season.
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