During his acceptance speech at the Independent Spirit Awards, Nick Offerman took the opportunity to address the hateful comments directed at his character for being gay in an episode of The Last of Us. The actor, awarded for best supporting performance in a new scripted series, thanked HBO for their courage in telling the story despite backlash from homophobes.
In his speech, Offerman expressed gratitude to HBO for participating in independent storytelling and defended the narrative against homophobic criticism. He emphasized that the story wasn't just a "gay story" but a love story, concluding with a humorous note thanking his team and his wife, Megan Mullally, whom he affectionately referred to as his "bride and puzzle coach and legal property."
The episode in question, "Long, Long Time," featured Offerman alongside Murray Bartlett and portrayed a love story spanning two decades amid a world descending into chaos in The Last of Us. The crowd at the Spirit Awards responded with applause to Offerman's strong words against homophobia.