The Last of Us on HBO has been praised for its storytelling and character development. Episode 3 of the TV series in particular struck at the heart of millions watching around the world, when it told the same-sex love story of survivors Bill and Frank. With every piece of progress, however, there are a vocal minority of detractors.
Star Bella Ramsey, who plays Ellie in the show, has pushed back at those opposed to the portrayal of LGBTQ+ characters, saying in an interview with GQ that they’ll “have to get used to it.” The actor also pointed to the fact that the show “has a trans character,” which has led to many questioning exactly who that is. Here’s what we know.
Who is the trans character in The Last of Us?
No trans character has yet been introduced in The Last of Us HBO series. Now that the show has been renewed for a second season, however, we can expect one from the video game sequel, The Last of Us Part 2, to be introduced. That character is Lev.
Lev is a young trans man, on the run from a community called the Seraphites that refuses to accept him. According to his sister, Yara, he has always questioned the traditions of his former community, which his sibling suspects comes from his gender dysphoria. He is introduced as the deuteragonist of another new character called Abby in the sequel, around halfway through the game.
If the series continues to follow the first game directly throughout Season 1, we should expect Lev to make an appearance at some point in Season 2. Exactly who will be brought in to play the character remains to be seen, but as the final few episodes of The Last of Us Season 1 begin to broadcast, and development on Season 2 begins, we may hear some more details.
