Kiwi actress Melanie Lynskey slams model who criticised her body: ‘I don’t need to be muscly’

The actress called out a model who claimed her body was not suited to her latest series. Photo / Getty Images

New Zealand-born actress Melanie Lynskey has fired back at criticism she doesn’t have the right “body” for her role in The Last of Us.

The 45-year-old has made her feelings clear while responding to Adrianne Curry after the model claimed the actress wasn’t the best fit to play warlord Kathleen in the popular HBO series.

In a now-deleted tweet, the America’s Next Top Model winner shared a photo of Lynskey and wrote, “Her body says life of luxury…not post apocalyptic warlord. Where is Linda Hamilton when you need her?”

Melanie Lynskey in The Last of Us. Photo / HBO

The Yellowjackets star was quick to reply to the unneeded criticism saying the comparison to the Terminator star didn’t make much sense, “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 [and] executed an overthrow of FEDRA. I am supposed to be smart, ma’am. I don’t need to be muscly. That’s what henchmen are for.”

She added: “I was excited at the idea of playing a woman who had, in a desperate and tragic time, jumped into a role she had never planned on having and nobody else had planned on her having, and then she actually got sh** done.

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. I am supposed to be SMART, ma’am. I don’t need to be muscly. That’s what henchmen are for pic.twitter.com/YwkmkwUdOm

— Melanie Lynskey (@melanielynskey) February 8, 2023

”I wanted her to look like she should have a notepad on her at all times. I wanted her to be feminine, and soft-voiced, and all the things that we’ve been told are ‘weak’. Because honestly, f*** that. I understand that some people are mad that I’m not the typical casting for this role. That’s thrilling to me.

”Other than the moments after action is called, when you feel like you’re actually in someone else’s body, the most exciting part of my job is subverting expectations.”

Despite Curry deleting her original tweet, she appeared to double down on her thoughts and replied to the thread, “Actors taking character criticism as personal attacks is mind blowing.”

And the comments didn’t stop there. Once fans began to notice Curry’s remarks she continued to voice her opinion writing, “I’m not allowed to say I didn’t find the fictional character believable due to her soft voice, small stature and curvy frame. Fictional. Not real,” she responded to one user, while telling another, “Next up, Jason Mamoa will find my criticism of his portrayal of Aquaman and will put me in my place with a strongly worded tweet on why he IS the perfect Arthur Curry.”

Lynskey made her first appearance on the popular show last week and stars alongside Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey.