The Last of Us star Isabela Merced has reflected on creating season two’s sapphic romance plot, and confirmed that she identifies as part of the LGBTQ+ community.
Spoiler alert: this article contains spoilers for The Last of Us season two, episode four.
In “One Day”, the fourth episode in season two of HBO’s The Last of Us, the blossoming romance between Ellie (Bella Ramsey) and Dina (Isabela Merced) finally takes centre stage.
As with almost every episode of the post-apocalyptic drama to date, “One Day” walks a fine line between heart-pumping action and tear-jerking sentimentality.
After fleeing the gun-toting Wolves, Ellie and Dina end up in an abandoned subway station, crawling through an old carriage as a horde of Infected smash through the windows.
As part of their escape, Ellie has to thrust out her arm for an Infected to gnaw on in order to save Dina who, unlike Ellie, isn’t immune from the cordyceps virus.
A tear-stained Dina confronts Ellie with her pistol, believing that she could turn at any moment. Yet swapping confessions, Ellie reveals that she is in fact immune, while Dina reveals that she is pregnant with Jessie’s (Young Mazino) baby.
The pair then confess their feelings for one another, and proceed to have sex for the first time, in a scene that differs slightly from the source material of the Naughty Dog video game.
Speaking about creating the sex scene, Isabela Merced told Variety that working with an intimacy coordinator made the moment feel “really comfortable”.
“I think what we wanted to make sure was that more than anything there was some sort of consent in the scene, because they’re obviously both in very vulnerable positions. So we were very detailed about that scene,” she reflected.
“We wanted it to be emotional and charged, but also smart and show their relationship and how it’s going to change now that this barrier has been broken. Specifically, I wanted Dina to be the one to unzip her own pants, take Ellie’s hand and actively guide it down her body. Because even though Ellie is technically the one who’s on top, I think it’s showing they both have agency in this decision to take it to the next step. And I think it was beautiful.”
The Madame Web actress went on to explain that the dynamic between Ellie and Dina has been fortified by the fact that she and Ramsey are themselves close.
“I think everything felt so tender that day, even when we were shooting it, Bella and I were just so comfortable with each other. And also, we both have experience in queer relationships — you can just tell when a girl hasn’t kissed a girl before. You can just feel it,” Merced said.
“So both of us were already fine and comfortable, and so we could really explore. We added some kisses that weren’t in the original script.”
Is The Last of Us star Isabela Merced LGBTQ+?
While reflecting on Ellie and Dina taking their romance to the next level in episode four, Isabela Merced confirmed that she identifies as LGBTQ+.
“No one actually thinks I’m queer, which is fine. I don’t really care. I’m an actor, so I can play anyone, right? But for it to mean so much to me personally is great and grand,” she told Variety about seeing sapphic representation in The Last of Us.
“I just think about people from my hometown who maybe have never seen this side of me watching this and really getting to know me in a way, and understanding me and them really seeing it on a large scale.”
After the pair have sex for the first time, Dina opens up to Ellie about trying to come out as bisexual to her mother before she died.
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly about the moving scene, Merced said: “Craig [Mazin, The Last of Us showrunner] is not a queer individual, but being one myself, I understood where she was coming from.
“I don’t think it’s so clear cut. With Dina, it was important to show the contest within her, whereas Ellie’s way more assured. Ellie’s always been sure about it. In this world where it doesn’t really exist, Pride and all the LGBTQ+ community, she’s navigating it blind with no guidance. She probably doesn’t even know the word bisexual.”
The Last of Us season two airs on Sundays on HBO in the US and Mondays on NOW in the UK.
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