The Last of Us Bloater Actor Claims Monster Is a "Bit of a Sex Icon"

By Cade Onder

The man who played the Bloater in The Last of Us has shared a very unique anecdote about the reception to the monster. The most recent episode of The Last of Us featured one of he most iconic creatures from the video game. In The Last of Us game, a big, hard-to-kill monster named the Bloater is introduced to players during a section where you fight through Bill's town. He's a real pain in the ass and ugly as hell, too. However, the show has made a number of changes which meant the Bloater couldn't appear until after Bill's episode and it is introduced perfectly. In episode 5, when our heroes are backed against the wall by the resistance army, a horde of infected attack the resistance. A Bloater stumbles out with the rest of the infected and essentially acts like a sponge to all of the bullets before ripping off Perry's head.

Despite only getting a few seconds to shine, the Bloater made quite a first impression among fans. Stunt performer Adam Basil, who played the Bloater, told Entertainment Weekly that he believes the monster has become a "bit of a sex icon." Although the final Bloater seen in the show is either fully or largely enhanced by VFX, there was a massive, gross practical suit worn by the 6'6 actor. Since the episode has aired, Basil has seen a wide range of very interesting reactions to the creature.

"He's captured a lot of people's imaginations," Basil said. "Someone asked me if I'd come to their wedding. I've had people sending me love messages. He really brought out something in people that I don't think even they knew they had. He's the big daddy mushroom, I think there's been a [meme]."  

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As of right now, it remains to be seen if the Bloater will have anymore screen time in the rest of season one of The Last of Us. In the game, humans are far more of the prominent force in the second half of the story. However, the Bloater is not the biggest or grossest infected creature in the games. Without spoiling anything, the Bloater is just a taste of something that will surely happen when they adapt The Last of Us Part II in the confirmed second season.

What did you think of the Bloater in The Last of Us? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @Cade_Onder.

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