Bella Ramsey responds to The Last of Us Season 2 trolls

With Season 2 of The Last of Us currently in development, star Bella Ramsey has responded to potential criticism of the sequel series, saying they are “unbothered.”

Based on the Naughty Dog video game of the same name, The Last of Us launched on HBO less than a year ago. But it quickly became one of the most acclaimed series in recent years, satisfying fans of the source material, while drawing in those who have never played the game. Indeed, it made our TV Top 3 of 2023, only being beaten by Succession and The Bear.

Set in a world where a fungal infection has caused a pandemic that wipes out much of humanity, the show stars Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey as a mismatched duo traveling across a United States where society has pretty much collapsed.

Game creator Neil Druckmam – and Chernobyl showrunner Craig Mazin – oversaw Season 1, and are currently hard at work on Season 2. And Ramsey has a message for the naysayers.

Bella Ramsey responds to The Last of Us Season 2 trolls

Season 2 will be an adaptation of The Last of Us game sequel, which was released in 2020. This means the character that Bella Ramsey plays – Ellie – will be older, and therefore closer to her real-life age of 20.

HBO

But the star – who identifies as non-binary – was subject to online bullying and abuse when Season 1 hit, and when asked how they felt about the same happening around Season 2, Ramsey says they are “unbothered.”

Speaking to The Independent about the follow-up, Ramsey adds: “Whatever decision is made by the creators, there’s gonna be opinions. It’s quite nice to just have that level of distance from it now.”

What will happen in S2 of TLOU?

Both Neil Druckman and Craig Mazin have kept their cards close to their collective chests when discussing Season 2 of The Last of Us. But if it does follow the path of the game sequel, here’s what to expect via the source’s synopsis.

“Five years after their dangerous journey across the post-pandemic United States, Ellie and Joel have settled down in Jackson, Wyoming. Living amongst a thriving community of survivors has allowed them peace and stability, despite the constant threat of the infected and other, more desperate survivors.

“When a violent event disrupts that peace, Ellie embarks on a relentless journey to carry out justice and find closure. As she hunts those responsible one by one, she is confronted with the devastating physical and emotional repercussions of her actions.”

That said, Season 1 departed from the game plot in multiple ways, so expect Season 2 to reflect the above, but with a few surprises along the way…