Bella Ramsey, who stars in the TV series adaptation of the hit game The Last of Us, has come out as gender fluid.
Ramsey plays Ellie Williams in the show, which has been taken on by HBO Max, and is the first live-action adaptation since the video game wowed audiences way back in 2013.
Just like the games, the series is set in a post-apocalyptic world ruled by an unstoppable, brain-eating, fungal outbreak that transforms humans into cannibals.
Joel, portrayed by Pedro Pascal, is a ruthless smuggler who is responsible for transporting the young teen Ellie (Bella Ramsey) to a medical facility situated on the opposite side of the country after it turns out she’s immune to the infection, leading him to believe she could hold the cure to the deadly parasite.
The series, which premiered on Sunday night, has been met with rave reviews from both critics and fans, resulting in an unbelievable score of 99 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.
However, despite the recent success of the series, it has been a bumpy ride for the nineteen-year-old since they were cast as Ellie, as many fans of the game were critical of HBO’s choice for such a crucial character in the show when the news of an adaptation first made it’s rounds online.
But there’s no doubt that Ramsay has what it takes, as they have proved their talents prior to this breakout role. They were previously nominated for Best Young Performer at the Critics Choice Awards for their performance in the hit movie Catherine Called Birdy.
But despite this, it’s clear the negative press has affected Ramsey’s confidence when it comes to the HBO series.
Opening up in a recent interview with the New York Times, Ramsey’s confidence appeared to be shaken by the casting backlash the show received prior to the premiere. They revealed to the publication that this led to them doubting their suitability for the role and even wondering if they were up to the job.
They told the outlet: “It’s only recently that I’ve accepted I am Ellie, and I can do it, and I am a good actor.
“But this will last for a few weeks and then I’ll think I’m terrible again. That’s just the process.”
During the interview, they also revealed something huge, opening up about their gender identity.
Speaking out about how they identify, Ramsey said: “I guess my gender has always been very fluid,” adding that they identify as non binary. “Someone would call me ‘she’ or ‘her’ and I wouldn’t think about it, but I knew that if someone called me ‘he’ it was a bit exciting.
“I’m very much just a person. Being gendered isn’t something that I particularly like, but in terms of pronouns, I really couldn’t care less,” they concluded.
Ramsey later thanked the outlet in a post on Instagram, for providing them with a “safe space where I could be myself,” adding: “I didn’t realise how grateful I was for that.”
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