Melanie Lynskey has no time for body shamers.
Among other roles, Lynskey plays Kathleen, leader of a revolutionary movement in the fight against government agency FEDRA and also a character specific to HBO's adaptation of the game by the same name.
The Last of Us actor clapped back after America's Next Top Model season one winner Adrianne Curry tweeted—then deleted—a photo of Lynskey.
Curry commented:
"Her body says life of luxury...not post apocolyptic warlord."
"Where is Linda Hamilton when you need her?"
@AdrienneCurry/Twitter
\u201c@AdrianneCurry @phall1069 @AiasIRL Body shaming. Disgusting.\u201d— Aias \ud83e\ude93 (@Aias \ud83e\ude93) 1675887200
\u201cYou\u2026 you could have just\u2026 not tweeted it. But you did, and people are upset with what you said. Whatever happens now, DO NOT LEARN ANYTHING FROM THIS UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES!! Dig your heels in deeper, and double down! BECOME the victim! You can do this!! I believe in you!!\u201d— Jason Ritter \ud83e\udd8b (@Jason Ritter \ud83e\udd8b) 1675914416
Lynskey, of course, had some words for Curry.
"Firstly—this is a photo from my cover shoot for 'InStyle magazine,' not a still from HBO's 'The Last of Us.'"
"And I'm playing a person who meticulously planned & executed an overthrow of FEDRA."
She continued blasting Curry:
"I am supposed to be SMART, ma'am."
"I don't need to be muscly. That's what henchmen are for."
\u201cFirstly- this is a photo from my cover shoot for InStyle magazine, not a still from HBO\u2019s The Last Of Us. And I\u2019m playing a person who meticulously planned & executed an overthrow of FEDRA. I am supposed to be SMART, ma\u2019am. I don\u2019t need to be muscly. That\u2019s what henchmen are for\u201d— Melanie Lynskey (@Melanie Lynskey) 1675884078
According to HuffPost, Curry followed up in another deleted tweet saying Lysnkey "cropped out what I said about her perfect hour glass frame being the most desirable to men."
She also wrote:
"Actors can't allow people to not like their characters? I am DONE."
But the damage was already done and the twitterverse wouldn't stand for Curry's body shaming either.
\u201c@melanielynskey My dearest Melanie I do not understand these people . You are brilliant . Always . Ignore the uninformed chatter and silliness and keep being the incomparable you we all admire and love . Xjed\u201d— Melanie Lynskey (@Melanie Lynskey) 1675884078
\u201c@melanielynskey THATS WHAT HENCHMEN ARE FOR.\n\nMOTHER HAS SPOKEN!\u201d— Melanie Lynskey (@Melanie Lynskey) 1675884078
\u201c@melanielynskey Wow, that was embarrassing for her even BEFORE you responded. \n\nYou look glamorous and perfect. \u2728\u201d— Melanie Lynskey (@Melanie Lynskey) 1675884078
\u201c@melanielynskey 10/10 would follow into battle, the sea, the sun.\u201d— Melanie Lynskey (@Melanie Lynskey) 1675884078
\u201c@melanielynskey Jesus Christ, why on earth did she feel like that needed to be said? I can\u2019t\u201d— Melanie Lynskey (@Melanie Lynskey) 1675884078
\u201c@melanielynskey You are a national treasure, I\u2019d follow you to the end of the earth! No apocalypse needed!\u201d— Melanie Lynskey (@Melanie Lynskey) 1675884078
\u201c@melanielynskey That's what @pierce_jeffrey is for! You both were fantastic in ep 4.\u201d— Melanie Lynskey (@Melanie Lynskey) 1675884078
\u201c@melanielynskey What a weird and misogynistic comment.\u201d— Melanie Lynskey (@Melanie Lynskey) 1675884078
Lynskey later shared in a series of tweets she hopes her role suggests "the possibility of a future in which people start listening to the person with the best ideas."
\u201cNot the coolest or the toughest person. The organiser. The person who knows where everything is. The person who is doing the planning. The person who can multitask. The one who\u2019s decisive\u201d— Melanie Lynskey (@Melanie Lynskey) 1675886234
She also touched on the way women "in leadership positions are scrutinized incessantly."
\u201cWomen, and especially women in leadership positions, are scrutinized incessantly. Her voice is too shrill. Her voice is too quiet. She pays too much attention to how she looks. She doesn\u2019t pay enough attention to how she looks. She\u2019s too angry. She\u2019s not angry enough\u201d— Melanie Lynskey (@Melanie Lynskey) 1675886234
Lynskey wrote while she understands some people may be upset because she's not the typical casting type for the role, that makes it even more "thrilling for her."
\u201cI understand that some people are mad that I\u2019m not the typical casting for this role. That\u2019s thrilling to me. Other than the moments after action is called, when you feel like you\u2019re actually in someone else\u2019s body, the most exciting part of my job is subverting expectations\u201d— Melanie Lynskey (@Melanie Lynskey) 1675886234
And finally, she shared her gratitude for the love and support she received from her fans and viewers of The Last of Us.
\u201cAnd I\u2019m also grateful because the love and support I receive from you all is so overwhelming and powerful- I feel like we are a community and I feel very seen and loved. Ok rant over and thank you all so very much \ud83d\udc97\u201d— Melanie Lynskey (@Melanie Lynskey) 1675886234
The Last of Us episode five airs Sunday on HBO.