'The Last of Us Part II' actor Ian Alexander 'would love' to reprise their game role of Lev on season 2 of HBO's show
Ian Alexander played Lev in 2020's "The Last of Us Part II" video game.
Alexander told Insider they hope to reprise their role on season two.
They're glad the show has "explicit" LGBTQ representation after seeing "transphobic backlash" to the game.
"The Last of Us Part II" actor Ian Alexander hopes to reprise their role of Lev for the second season of HBO's hit adaptation of the video-game series "The Last of Us."
"I was just so grateful that I was able to be a part of that franchise and I'm so excited that we got picked up for season two," Alexander told Insider of HBO's recent renewal for the record-breaking series while on the red carpet for Marvel's upcoming "Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur" animated series on Saturday.
"My fingers are crossed that I get to reprise my role as Lev," Alexander added while wearing a subtle pendant from the series.
Introduced in 2020's sequel game from Naughty Dog, Alexander voiced and performed the 13-year-old transgender teen through motion capture. Modeled in Alexander's likeness, Lev escapes a cult that attempts to force him into a traditional marriage.
"With 'The Last of Us Part II,' with Lev, there was so much backlash, so much transphobic backlash, from fans of the game who didn't want to see a transgender character in the game," Alexander said.
Naughty Dog received some backlash for its handling of Lev's story.
At points, Lev's former cult members taunt and deadname the character, the process of revealing a transgender person's birth name without their permission.
Others criticized the game, harassing and threatening the developers, creator Neil Druckmann, and voice actors for the game's story at large.
Of backlash to their character in the sequel, Alexander said: "It was really heartbreaking because in the original game, there was queer representation. There was Bill and Frank. I'm glad that they're making the LGBTQ representation more explicit and more just... obviously queer. I'd love to see more of that."
The series' critically acclaimed third episode, which aired on HBO and HBO Max on January 29, greatly expands on Bill (Nick Offerman) and Frank's (Murray Bartlett) relationship, to provide a richer and more respectful adaptation of the couple than the version seen in the game.
"I just started crying," Alexander said of their reaction to the pair's apocalyptic love story. "It was cathartic, though. I needed that. And I knew going into it, I was like, this is gonna hurt. I know this is gonna hurt."
During the premiere's after-party, Alexander clarified to Insider that while they "would love" to play Lev on the show's second season, they are not yet cast in the role. But there's reason to believe Alexander could appear on the series in the future.
The HBO series features many actors from the first video game, including Troy Baker, Ashley Johnson, and Jeffrey Pierce. Johnson and Pierce appear in new, show-only roles.
Merle Dandridge reprised her game role as Marlene on the show's first season.
Alexander next appears on 'Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur'
While Alexander hopes to join "The Last of Us," for now, they lend their voice to another character on Marvel's "Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur."
The Disney Channel original series, which will also stream on Disney+, follows Lunella Lafayette (Diamond White), aka Moon Girl, a 13-year-old super genius who defends the Lower East Side of Manhattan from crime with her 10-foot-tall dinosaur, Devil. Alexander voices one of Lunella's classmates, Tai.
Alexander joins stars Alfre Woodard, Fred Tatasciore, and a long list of guest stars ranging from Alison Brie as a Marvel villain, to Method Man, Jennifer Hudson, Yvette Nicole Brown, and Wesley Snipes.
"Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur" premieres on Disney Channel on February 10. The first six episodes will be available to stream on Disney+ on February 15.
You can follow along with our coverage of "The Last of Us" here.
Read the original article on Insider
