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Happy Birthday Bella Ramsey: Exploring Her Life And Career As Last Of Us Star Turns 21
Bella Ramsey, the star of Game of Thrones and The Last of Us, turns 21 on September 25th. Let’s look back at their life and career as a rising Hollywood star.
Bella Ramsey rose to stardom in Hollywood after playing an enigmatic young noblewoman in HBO's fantasy series Game of Thrones. This 21-year-old talented actor then stunned audiences with their performance in the post-apocalyptic HBO series The Last of Us, adapted from the popular video game. They were nominated for both a Golden Globe and a Critics' Choice Award for Best Actress in a Drama for their outstanding performance alongside Game of Thrones star Pedro Pascal. The young actor celebrates their 21st birthday on Wednesday, September 25th. As they enter another year of their life, we revisit their journey and career as a Hollywood star.
Early Life
Isabella May Ramsey was born on September 25 in Nottingham, England, and spent their youth in Leicestershire. They completed their secondary education online through King's InterHigh. At the age of four, they joined Loughborough Stagecoach Theatre Arts as a hobby. After spending seven years in theater coaching, they began attending television workshops to prepare for professional auditions.
Ramsey once uploaded a video on Twitter from one of their earliest auditions, sharing that the director was thrilled with their performance but couldn’t offer them the role because they lacked the "Hollywood look." Reflecting on the experience, the Game of Thrones star added, "That's something I've always found very interesting."
Hollywood Career
The actor received widespread praise from critics and Game of Thrones fans for their spectacular debut in the "Broken Man" episode of Season 6 in 2016. Ramsey continued their role in Game of Thrones for Seasons 7 and 8, which aired until 2019.
In 2017, they were cast in the adaptation of Jill Murphy’s children's novel series The Worst Witch, which earned them the Young Performer award at the British Academy Children's Awards in 2019. Ramsey left the series in 2020 after three seasons. In 2018, they voiced the main character in the Netflix original series Hilda. They also wrote and performed "The Life of Hilda" in the second season after Dave Peacock, the series director, jokingly suggested the song idea.
In 2022, Ramsey played the role of a teenage girl living in 13th-century England in Lenа Dunham’s film Catherine Called Birdy. Their consistently outstanding performance earned them a nomination for Best Young Performer at the Critics' Choice Movie Awards. The film featured a song called Birdy Song, which Ramsey wrote when they were just ten years old. In addition, the actor co-starred with Safia Oakley-Green in the 2021 horror short film Requiem.
The Last of Us
Bella Ramsey took on the biggest role of their acting career as Ellie, a 14-year-old orphan immune to the fungus that turns humans into zombies, in The Last of Us, adapted from the 2013 video game of the same name. The series is set in a post-apocalyptic future where Joel, played by Game of Thrones actor Pedro Pascal, rescues Ellie from a quarantine zone in an effort to save her from the horrific pandemic.
Craig Mazin, the co-creator of the series, was impressed by Ramsey's talent and could envision them as Ellie from their very first audition. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Ramsey was initially hesitant to accept the role, concerned about the spotlight it would bring, but they later reconsidered.
For their role in The Last of Us, Ramsey was nominated for a 75th Primetime Emmy Award in July 2023, making them the first non-binary actor to receive this honor. When Ramsey appeared on Time's 100 Next list in September 2023, actress Emma D’Arcy praised them for their advocacy and remarkable performing skills.
Personal Life
In an interview with The New York Times, Ramsey stated that their gender identity has always been very fluid. The Game of Thrones actor added that, if they were filling out a form, they would select non-binary. They said, "I'm very much just a person." Although they don’t particularly enjoy being gendered, they also don’t really care about pronouns.
Later in 2023, during an interview with British Vogue, Ramsey shared that being called "they" feels the most truthful because it aligns best with their identity. The actor also expressed discomfort about submitting themselves for an Emmy nomination in a gendered category in 2023 but expressed hope that future award categories would provide better recognition for non-binary individuals.
The Last of Us actor has also been open about their battle with an eating disorder. They announced to their followers on Instagram that they were going to take a break from work to prioritize their mental health. Ramsey revealed that a major factor in their recovery from anorexia nervosa was their strong Christian faith, though they admitted that their religious beliefs have since diminished, particularly after 2023.
During an appearance on The Late Late Show with James Corden, the young actor humorously shared that they learned their American accent by saying curse words, which their character Ellie in The Last of Us uses frequently. Ramsey was diagnosed as neurodivergent at the age of 18. They are also a passionate vegan and actively promote the lifestyle. In addition to acting, Ramsey sings, plays guitar, and enjoys music. In 2019, there were plans for a podcast, but the project was eventually scrapped.
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