The Last of Us’ Nick Offerman blasts homophobes again in awards speech
"It’s not a gay story it’s a love story, you asshole!"
Nick Offerman is an LGBTQ+ ally through and through. He demonstrated that again on Sunday (25 February) night at the 2024 Film Independent Spirit Awards.
The 53-year-old actor accepted the award for Best Supporting Performance in New Scripted Series for his role as Bill in the post-apocalyptic thriller The Last of Us. The series’ memorable third episode, ‘Long, Long Time’, focused on the love story between Bill and Frank (Murray Bartlett). While the episode was beloved by many for its LGBTQ representation it, and the show in general, attracted negative criticism and was heavily review-bombed.
Taking to the stage in Santa Monica Offerman thanked HBO “for having the guts to participate in this storytelling tradition that is truly independent.”
“It’s a love story, you asshole!” – Nick Offerman
He continued: “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 moment got a big round of applause from the audience after which Offerman called for “more of that [LGBTQ+ stories].” He continued a theme of joking about his relationship with Bartlett as he thanked him for planting strawberries which he added was “not a euphemism.”
In January Offerman collected the Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series. Posting his acceptance speech on social media afterward, Offerman referenced Bartlett as “my magnificently generous partner and rightly lauded Aussie top man – the Girth from Perth.” He also said that without Bartlett “it would have been awfully tough to pull off a beautiful, richly-veined 2-hander.”
As per Variety, season two of The Last of Us has entered production with Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey set to return. Schitt’s Creek and Home Alone icon Catherine O’Hara recently joined the series.
The Last of Us is streaming on Now TV.