HBO’s The Last Of Us Casts A Cis Actor To Play Its Trans Lead

The Last of Us has cast Kyriana Kratter as Lev and Michelle Mao as Yara for the show’s third season; Kratter previously appeared in Star Wars: Skeleton Crew and Mao in Bridgerton. Lev is a transgender boy in The Last of Us Part II, and Kratter is cis. Producers said she "best embodied the character," and the role will remain a transgender boy in the series.

The choice highlights a broader tension around cis actors playing trans characters. Actors such as Hilary Swank and Eddie Redmayne have won awards for trans roles, and while those performances can be powerful, they also mean a trans actor lost the opportunity.

Fans note the contrast with the original game, which cast trans actor Ian Alexander, and point out that Lev’s gender identity is central to his story. Neil Druckmann, the director of the games, is not involved with the third season.

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