There has been high praise for Melanie Lynskey’s role in The Last of Us as Kathleen, the leader of a group of revolutionaries who overthrew a QZ. However, some have criticized her look on the show, like America’s Next Top Model winner Adrianne Curry. So, when the model criticized the Yellowjackets star’s body, Lynskey fired back.
While Curry’s tweet criticizing Lynskey’s body is now deleted, The Last of Us actress posted a screenshot the ANTM winner's comment, which read:
Her body says life of luxury…not post apocalyptic warlord. where is linda hamilton when you need her?
Curry called out Lynskey’s look, noting she doesn’t think the actress would be able to overthrow a QZ on The Last of Us. She also said they'd need The Terminator’s Linda Hamilton instead. The Yellowjackets star then responded to the America’s Next Top Model alum, by firing back:
Firstly- this is a photo from my cover shoot for InStyle magazine, not a still from HBO’s The Last Of Us. And I’m playing a person who meticulously planned & executed an overthrow of FEDRA. I am supposed to be SMART, ma’am. I don’t need to be muscly. That’s what henchmen are for
Talk about a clap back. Lynskey was quick to point out that Curry didn’t have her facts straight. The photo in question was from an InStyle profile published last August, not the show. She’s rocking a Valentino cape and Christian Siriano dress in the profile, an outfit her character on the 2023 TV schedule stand-out series 100% was not seen wearing in the latest installment. So I’m not quite sure Curry watched the episode.
Also, Curry’s tweet and Lynskey’s response point out her body and how she’s built. The actress noted that her character is not the one doing the physical heavy lifting, she's the mastermind behind the plan. She doesn't need to be “muscly.”
The Heavenly Creatures star has responded to body shaming before, and she dismantled the logic of hurtful posts. When the first season of Yellowjackets dropped, the actress was body shamed, and she responded by explaining: “skinny does not always equal healthy.” And in the case of The Last of Us, she made it clear it’s her intelligence that matters. She does not need to be ripped to lead a revolution, and if you’ve seen Episode 4, you know she led one very effectively.
Overall, Lynskey and The Last of Us has been loved by millions and millions of viewers, Linda Ronstadt’s tune “Long Long Time” got a massive boost on Spotify after the beloved Episode 3 with the same name aired, and because of all the love and popularity, the series was quickly picked up for a second season. So while there are overly critical people on the internet, it seems like the vast majority of viewers love the Last of Us.
Luckily, we’ll be able to see Lynskey at least one more time in this week’s episode of The Last of Us. So, be sure to check out this amazing actress as the intellectual revolution leader this Friday when the video game adaptation airs at 9 p.m. ET on HBO or with an HBO Max subscription.
