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Bella Ramsey, who gained recognition for their breakout performance as Lady Lyanna Mormont in Game of Thrones, stars as Ellie in the acclaimed HBO series The Last of Us. They sat down for an interview with The Guardian, published on October 13, 2023, where they commented about their acting style and social interactions.
Ramsey is neurodivergent and uses they/them pronouns. In the interview, they told the outlet that they prefer being around adults to others their age.
“I have always been quite shy. But in creative spaces, whenever I’ve played a different character – and am around people who are older than me – that’s when I’m not shy,” Ramsey revealed.
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Ramsey went into greater detail about how their neurodivergence is involved in their preference in the same interview.
"I’m neurodivergent and that’s part of why I feel more understood by adults," they stated.
Bella Ramsey's preference is shaped by experience and neurodivergence
Bella Ramsey started acting at the age of three and joined a local amateur theater group to copy their sister. Their exposure to creative environments at such an early age is the reason behind their comfort level in professional environments.
According to The Guardian interview, Ramsey joined the Television Workshop at 10, a renowned training ground where the likes of Samantha Morton and Vicky McClure are alumni.
They reminisced about being on the set of the hit HBO series Game of Thrones during the interview.
"I had no idea what I was doing!" they exclaimed.
It was also then that they knew they performed better with adults.
"It didn’t faze me at all. Being around kids my own age would have been so much harder," they said.
Bella Ramsey stated that they never actually made friends when they were home after dropping out of conventional school at 12 to continue studying online. They subsequently attempted to go to college at age 17 but quit after two months.
“Every time we drove past a school I would have a twang of: ‘Oh I miss it – and want to try it again.’ So I went to college for two months and realised why I left in the first place … I don’t miss it any more,” they revealed.
This educational course, combined with their neurodivergence, informed their social tastes. Ramsey then talked about how they now have friends, many of them from the industry.
“I actually have proper friends for the first time in my life now. It’s lovely, [but] I do need my old men – my old guy friends,” they stated.
Having support from industry mentors and older counterparts
The bonds between Bella Ramsey and their older co-stars have been especially apparent. One such instance is Pedro Pascal, who acted opposite Ramsey's Ellie in The Last of Us.
Though they were unable to discuss the second season of the show owing to the SAG strike, which was ongoing during the interview, they called Pascal a great support system.
"He’s great – having him throughout this last year makes going through that experience less lonely," they shared.
They also talked about how working alongside defensive people within the industry affected them.
"My journey has been very cushioned. I have been fortunate to work with people who are fiercely protective of me," they added.
They conceded that every person has to go through things that are tough and terrible sometimes, yet they felt "pretty much safe overall.". They shared how this experience is something they wish to share as well.
"Now that I’m getting older, I’m looking forward to being able to help other people I work with – be the adult who can advocate for the younger person," they explained.
They talked about utilizing their position on set to be an ally for younger actors moving forward.
"There’s a certain power that comes with being number one or two on the call sheet," they remarked.
Bella Ramsey’s comments during The Guardian interview offer a deeper look into their approach to acting and interaction.
