In The Last of Us, a gay love story was told — which was praised by fans and critics. Now, its actor Nick Offerman has won the Independent Spirit Awards for the role.
In his acceptance speech for Best Supporting Performance in a New Scripted Series, the actor who played Bill called out the homophobic backlash.
"Thank you so much. I'm astonished to be in this category, which is bananas," the 53-year-old said.
Expressing admiration for the network for telling the bold story, Nick stated, "Thanks to HBO for having the guts to participate in this storytelling tradition that is truly independent."
Noting, "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 ******!'"
The love story in question was told in episode three of the apocalyptic show.
In the meantime, season two of the series is in the works in Vancouver, Canada, and is set to premiere in 2025.