Melanie Lynskey as Kathleen in The Last of Us

Melanie Lynskey has confirmed that she is – praise be – backing the “homosexual agenda”. 

The Yellowjackets alum recently made her debut in the fourth episode of HBO’s post-apocalyptic drama The Last of Us as Kathleen, the ruthless leader of a revolutionary movement in Kansas City. 

Although Lynskey doesn’t identify as queer, and her character seemingly doesn’t either, one viewer bizarrely accused her and the series for “more homosexual agenda pushing”; seemingly referencing the sexuality of Bella Ramsey’s leading character Ellie and episode three’s acclaimed gay love story between Murray Bartlett and Nick Offerman

“OMG yes let me push that homosexual agenda just by showing up! An honour!” Lynskey tweeted in response, before telling Entertainment Weekly that the comment was “the funniest thing I’ve ever seen”. 

“This man just seeing my face and being like, “More pushing of the homosexual agenda.” I honestly felt so flattered,” she joked.

After the interviewer correctly informed her that she has a passionate gay fanbase, Lynskey said it’s “been a badge that I’ve worn proudly forever” and “it’s just always been a big part of my own community and life”. 

Elsewhere in the interview, Lynskey revealed that she already had a “very fun relationship” with Craig Mazin, the showrunner of The Last of Us, and would co-host “Mafia games” with him on Zoom at the start of the pandemic. 

“They got so elaborate and so crazy,” she said. “I was such a fan of his writing. Obviously, Chernobyl’s like one of the greatest things ever, but I knew that I liked working with him from our Mafia games. […] So I knew I would have fun with Craig.”

Lynskey currently plays Shauna on Showtime’s lauded survival thriller series Yellowjackets, for which she earned a Primetime Emmy Award nomination. The long-awaited second season premieres 26 March. 

The Last of Us continues exclusively on Sky Atlantic and streaming service NOW every Monday.