Storm Reid Knows How to Create Heartbreaking TV
Even if she didn’t have a part in it, Storm Reid would be a fan of The Last of Us.
“I wouldn't watch the whole season when I used to guest star on shows. I'd be familiar with them and then watch my episode when it aired, but I knew this show was going to be really good and I wanted to be invested,” Reid says. “I've been following it since episode one.”
Granted, it’s been a while since the 19-year-old actress has guest-starred on anything. Over the past five years, Reid has remained steadily busy portraying Gia Bennett on the much-talked-about series Euphoria, working on movies like A Wrinkle in Time and The Invisible Man, and as of 2021, attending the University of Southern California. But her most recent roles, both in The Last of Us and in the film Missing, represent the ushering in of a new era for the actress.
“I'm glad to be able to make the natural transition into roles that are a little bit more reflective of where I am in life,” Reid tells BAZAAR.com. “I’m transitioning into a new space – in school, in life, as a young woman, as an actress and producer — and I'm just along for the ride.”
Based on a PlayStation game of the same name, The Last of Us is set in a dystopian present world where a fungal virus has turned half the population into zombie-like beings and has already featured many notable guest appearances. Like some of her predecessors, Reid’s portrayal of Riley, the best friend of Bella Ramsey’s Ellie, is confined to one episode. Despite the limit of time, the way the series has created fully-flushed-out characters in singular episodes has left audiences breathless and devastated, and this episode is no different. “[Riley] came in, made an impact, and served her purpose. Most importantly, she helped show the audience the perspective of Ellie,” says Reid. “If I had to guest star on anything, I'm glad it was this.”
When we meet Riley in the seventh episode, Joel (Pedro Pascal) is suffering a life-threatening injury and Ellie is left reminiscing about another painful memory and her time at military school. After running away for a few weeks to join a rebel group, Riley returns to convince Ellie to join her for “the best night of her life.” The two sneak out, steal some old whiskey, and break into an abandoned mall. Once inside, they’re left to partake in the wonders of the mall, like riding a carousel, taking some candids in a photo booth, and spending time at the arcade. It feels like a night any teenager might have, but of course, the circumstances are different.
For viewers and fans of the video game, we quickly understand that the flashback is Ellie remembering the night she found out she was immune from being infected and how her current circumstances of possibly losing Joel have led her to reflect on this specific moment. As the final minutes of the episode unfold, Riley reveals that she is supposed to leave town with (the military group) the fireflies, Ellie convinces her to stay, and the two giddily share a kiss. All is well until they’re attacked and bitten by an infected. Reid agrees like anyone who watched the episode that it's a heartbreaking way to end a budding connection. After a beat, she continues with “it's such a beautiful way to tell the story though.”
For someone who is no stranger to working with deep emotional stories, it makes sense Reid feels this way. She’s praised for her dynamic ability to bring such harrowing emotions to life, especially as Zendaya’s onscreen little sister in Euphoria, and thankfully it’s something she loves to do. When thinking about her time on the set, and specifically about the final scene between Riley and Ellie, she tells me she remembers seeing some of the camera operators look like they were about to burst out in tears. Her response to that?: “Oh, people are gonna love this.”
“It was a big responsibility. But to be representative of women, women of color, and queer women is really important to me and, amazingly, I was able to come into this universe and be welcomed with such warmth and support,” the actress reflects. It’s this humility that Reid exudes as we chat and when I ask her what she’s learned working with so many talented women over the years, it’s this very quality she notes.
“I've been privileged to work with incredible women and it's mind-blowing to me when I work with someone who has a trajectory or has a career that is already up there and they still have humility for their art,” explains Reid. “I love that you can dream all of your dreams and turn your dreams into reality but at the end of the day, you are still a good person. It's inspiring.”
While Riley might be gone, Reid has not said goodbye. She’s more of a “see you later” girl anyways, and as a fan of the show, is just excited for the second season now like you and me.
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