The Last of Us viewers were taken aback by the "phenomenal" performance of Storm Reid, who plays Riley, in the latest episode that builds out Ellie's backstory.
Light spoilers for 'Left Behind' follow.
Though only 19 years old, Reid's accumulated an enviable roster of roles, like Euphoria, When They See Us, The Invisible Man, A Wrinkle in Time and 12 Years a Slave. She was approached to star in The Last of Us, in spite of her little awareness of the original game, and it's clear the choice was an inspired one.
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Riley leaves the military school when she is recruited by the Fireflies, leaving her closest friend Ellie at the mercy of bullies and strict teachers. However, she returns to reunite with her before she is sent to Atlanta, allowing the two girls one last night exploring an abandoned mall to their hearts' contentment.
“She showed incredible range has amazing chemistry with Bella (who was also amazing). This was a tour de force for both of them and they deserve a lot of upcoming awards recognition,” said one viewer on the show's subreddit and the post is nearing a thousand upvotes in agreement.
Here are the huge improvements on The Last of Us in the Part I remake - which is releasing for PC at the end of March:
Fans carried on the conversation in the comments, praising the use of The Cure's Just Like Heaven and the actors' commitment to bringing those awkward yet adorable moments of teen romance to the fore. “This whole episode was the best depiction I've ever seen of what it's like to be a hormonal teenager around someone you have a crush on,” added another. Given that the original game didn't include a lot about Ellie and Riley's love for each other, it's a wonderful opportunity for the show to fill out those blank spaces for greater representation of LGBTQIA+ storylines.
The Last of Us is available to watch through HBO Max or NOW TV in the United States or United Kingdom respectively.
Featured Image Credit: HBOTopics: TV And Film, The Last Of Us, Naughty Dog