“The Last of Us” is a lot of things. A video game. A TV show. A nightmare. A love story. For 21-year-old lead actor Bella Ramsey, the smash-hit horror series from HBO is as much about the zombie apocalypse as it is about coming of age.
“It isn’t something that I ever think about when we’re filming,” Ramsey told IndieWire. “Then, afterwards, when people come up and share how Ellie has impacted them and seeing themselves represented on screen, it makes it feel like, ‘Wow, everything that we’ve been doing really means something and is worth it.’”
Showrunner Craig Mazin directed Ramsey in Season 1 of the popular video game adaptation at just 14, earning Ramsey their first Emmy nomination in 2023. A complex survivor with a hell of a character arc, Ellie wasn’t Ramsey’s breakout role, of course. As an even younger actor, Ramsey leapt to elite TV status portraying the commanding child ruler Lyanna Mormont on “Game of Thrones.”
“I’ve got such a sweet fanbase,” Ramsey said of the many “Thrones” viewers now tuning into “The Last of Us Weekly.” “I’m so lucky, led by the brilliant Bella Ramsey Daily, who I have to shout out because she’s doing God’s work. They literally keep me updated on my life. I will look at their Instagram page to figure out what I’ve been up to.”
Praising their supporters as particularly “kind,” Ramsey countered the typical toxic child actor narrative by saying they were “grateful” to have grown up in the public eye. It’s a “special” experience, they said, and one that not many actors let alone people get to enjoy. Ramsey turned 18 while making “The Last of Us” Season 1 and then 21 during Season 2. Those are “two big ages” Ramsey said they’re proud to have “immortalized” on TV and online.
“With the actual stuff that’s on screen, behind the scenes, I feel like it always jogs memories,” they continued. “Whenever I watch something back, I can remember what was happening that day and what was happening in my life at that time. It’s a really good way for me to remember my life and my childhood by watching shows. The structure of that, it really helps me remember the experience of growing up.”
Ramsey returned with “The Last of Us” Season 2 playing a far more grown-up version of the character and teased a decidedly more adult trajectory in coming episodes. Appearing opposite Isabela Merced, Ramsey said they were especially eager for audiences to see more of Ellie and her love interest, Dina. That representation matters to Ramsey and their longtime fans.
“It’s so special that that’s there forever,” said Ramsey, joking “unless there’s some giant media crash worldwide at some point in the future. But hopefully not.”
“The Last of Us” Season 2 airs new episodes on Sunday nights at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and Max.
