Pedro Pascal expertly shuts down paparazzi questioning LGBTQ+ stories in The Last of Us
Pedro Pascal shut down puerile questions over queer characters (WireImage/Rodin Eckenroth)
Pedro Pascal, the star of post-apocalyptic, fungal survival series The Last of Us, had some frank words for a paparazzi asking why LGBTQ+ storylines are important.
The Last of Us has featured two stirring episodes dedicated to queer love stories. In episode three, Bill and Frank (Nick Offerman and Murray Bartlett) are perhaps the only survivors of the cordyceps pandemic who live a long, happy life. The two die in each other’s arms in a brilliant subversion of the “Bury Your Gays” trope.
Episode seven, meanwhile, looks back upon the tragic love story of Ellie (Bella Ramsey) and her best friend Riley (Storm Reid).
The stories are as beautiful as they are necessary for LGBTQ+ representation – and Pascal, a staunch LGBTQ+ ally, agrees.
In a video clip doing the rounds on social media, the actor, who plays Ellie’s father figure and defender Joel, can be seen shutting down some extremely basic questions from a TMZ reporter who questions the legitimacy of the show’s LGBTQ+ storylines.
“Can I ask: what do you say to the people who don’t want to see the LGBT character love stories?” the photographer can be heard asking Pascal as he moves away from his car in West Hollywood.
In reply, Pascal opts for a firm but fair: “They do!”
In another clip, Pascal returns to his vehicle where the reporter continues with the same puerile line of questioning. “Why is it so important that LGBTQ+ characters are on TV shows?” he asks.
Pascal then bluntly responds: “I think you’re asking the question because you know why it’s so important.”
Refusing to give up, the photographer asks: “Can you tell me why?”
“You should know why,” the actor fires back.
On the same day, Pascal issued a powerful message of solidarity with the queer community on Instagram, posting three pictures of the Progress Pride flag alongside a caption quoting a famous Bob Dylan song from the 1960s: “The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind.”
The Last of Us airs on Sundays on HBO in the US and on Mondays in the UK on Sky Atlantic and NOW TV.
