‘You kind of lose grip on reality a little bit’: Bella Ramsey on fame, co-star Pedro Pascal and the new season of The Last of Us

The Last of Us star Bella Ramsey explains the downsides of fame – and gives an insight into their close friendship with co-star Pedro Pascal.

Bella Ramsey already had a taste of fame thanks to their breakout role in Game of Thrones – but nothing could have prepared them for the spotlight came with The Last of Us.

Adapted from the revered 2013 video game of the same name, the first season of the zombie apocalypse thriller became a sensation when it was released in 2023, smashing viewing records around the world as HBO’s most-watched debut season ever and earning a mighty 24 Emmy nominations.

One of those nominations was for UK actor Ramsey, who identifies as non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, and was introduced to the world as the plain-talking Lyanna Mormont in Game of Thrones.

Bella Ramsey at The Last Of Us new season premiere in Sydney last week. Picture: Getty Images

Picture: Getty Images

In The Last of Us, audiences and critics went nuts for their lead role as Ellie, a resourceful and strong-willed teenager who is immune to the fungal infection that has ravaged the globe – and turned the bulk of humanity into mindless, ravenous, half-plant-half-human monsters and whose unique blood might provide the key to a vaccine.

While Ramsay said they considered it an honour and a privilege to be nominated for an Emmy, Golden Globe, BAFTA and a stack of others, admits that the whirlwind of the awards circuit was not their cup of tea.

’One of the hardest times of my life.’ Bella Ramsey on Hollywood awards season. Picture: Getty Images

“It was honestly one of the hardest times of my life,” they recall from a Sydney hotel room with the harbour glittering in the background ahead of the imminent release season two.

“It’s just event after event after event and there’s no break and there’s something about being perceived so intensely for such a long period of time and fancy clothes with people celebrating.

“It’s very lovely, but it’s quite overwhelming and it gets to the point where it’s quite tricky and … you just lose a sense of normality.

“You kind of lose grip on reality a little bit in a way that I found very disconcerting.”

For someone who is doing her very best to live the life of a normal 21-year-old in London, it was “a lot”.

They say that since the release of The Last Of Us, the biggest change in their life is that they don’t have to audition for parts any more and they mostly deal with fame and celebrity by trying not to think about it at all.

Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal, pictured together on the red carpet in LA. Picture: Getty Images

Picture: AFP

BFFs! Bella and Pedro. Picture: Getty Images

In the flesh, Ramsey is polite and poised answering questions carefully and with one eye on anything that might resemble a spoiler.

Later that day, they received a rapturous reception from screaming fans of the game and the show at the second season’s star-studded premiere, but handles the crowds and red carpet with aplomb, even leading the ecstatic audience in singing “Happy Birthday” to their absent co-star and dear friend Pedro Pascal.

“I think it’s dangerous to love fame and it’s also dangerous to really hate it,” Ramsey says.

“I feel like I have found quite a middle ground where I’m learning to accept it, but I don’t think about it too much. I don’t give it too much attention.

“I’m just living my life as a 21-year-old human being and that’s it really.”

‘I’m just living my life!’ Bella Ramsey as Ellie in a scene from the new season of The Last of Us.

If the awards season madness tested Ramsey’s resolve, then going back to their happy place was the antidote as they rolled straight into production of the eagerly anticipated follow-up season, adapted from the even more highly acclaimed sequel game by its creator Neil Druckman and Chernobyl writer-director Craig Mazin.

Not only did they get to dive back into fight and weapons training for the older, stronger, angrier Ellie – five years have passed between the seasons – they also got to reunite with the actor the rest of the world loves as Pascal, but they refer to as “Pedge”.

In the show, the Chilean-American actor plays Ellie’s protector and father figure, Joel, who committed unspeakable acts of violence to save her life at the climax of the first season, potentially at the cost of the whole human race.

The bond between the two characters, always complicated, becomes even more “fractured” and “cold” in the second season, but the pair became close while filming the sometimes emotionally and physically intense scenes and Ramsey’s face lights up when asked what they most admire about Pascal as a person and an actor.

“That’s a lovely question,” they beam. “He has reached an insane level of fame and attention within the industry and also just worldwide.

“Everyone’s obsessed with Pedro Pascal and you can see why. But for the level of fame and recognition that he’s at, he’s still incredibly genuine and kind and generous.

“He could be absolutely awful at the level that he’s at and he’s really not. He’s very sensitive and very considerate and very warm and generous and he’s maintained that through it all. I feel very grateful for him and I admire that side of him and how cheeky he is. How he moves through the industry is something that I really admire.”

The second season begins with Joel and Ellie living in a walled town in Wyoming – under the same roof but drifting apart, partly because of her somewhat sullen teen resentment, but also because she begins to suspect that he is not telling her the entire truth about how he saved her life, and the consequences that might have. Ellie is also taking on more responsibility in her community and exploring aspects of her sexuality and belief system and, in many ways, Ramsey feels like they have grown up with Ellie.

“During season one I feel like I really learned so much about myself and grew up in a way and again in season two and in the time in between,” they say.

“These years for anyone are so formative and to have that captured and immortalised in film – or digital now – is a unique thing to have period of my life.

“I turned 18 during season one and turned 21 during season two, and to have that time of my life frozen forever on screen is really unique and cool.”

The Last Of Us Season 2 will be streaming on Max from April 14; also available via Foxtel. Read the full interview with Bella Ramsey in Stellar on Friday, inside The Daily Telegraph (NSW), Herald Sun (VIC), Courier Mail (QLD) and The Advertiser (SA). For more from Stellar, click here.

Originally published as ‘You kind of lose grip on reality a little bit’: Bella Ramsey on fame, co-star Pedro Pascal and the new season of The Last of Us