Summary
- Bella Ramsey, who plays Ellie in The Last of Us season 2, is "unbothered" by potential backlash, according to a recent interview.
- The Last of Us season 1 faced backlash, including around Ramsey's casting, but that doesn't affect their confidence in the upcoming season.
- Ramsey's age and performance continue to make them the right choice for Ellie, despite some calls for an older actor.
The Last of Us’ Bella Ramsey says they are not worried about the potential backlash for season 2 of the series. The Last of Us was a massive critical success and one of HBO’s most popular shows of 2023. It's been renewed for season 2, which will focus, at least in part, on adapting The Last of Us Part II. That game, set several years after the first, became a victim of sexist and homophobic review bombing. The Last of Us season 1 faced similar backlash, including through Ramsey's casting.
Speaking with The Independent, Ramsey reacts to the potential of more backlash to The Last of Us season 2. Luckily, the actor is “unbothered” by this prospect. Check out the full quote from Ramsey below:
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.
Why Bella Ramsey Remains the Right Person To Play Ellie
As Ramsey alludes to, The Last of Us season 1 was steeped in online vitriol. Unfortunately, much of this backlash was bigoted in nature, specifically towards episodes that brought the game’s LGBTQ+ themes forward. This was especially the case with The Last of Us season 1, episode 3, “Long Long Time,” despite being considered a feat of writing and acting. Furthermore, Ramsey has been the subject of continued backlash due to their remaining part of The Last of Us season 2 cast, as some believe the show should swap to an older performer to better match the game sequel.
The Last of Us season 2 casting backlash ignores several factors. For one, at 20, Ramsey is actually roughly the same age now as Ellie is supposed to be in The Last of Us Part II. Even though Ramsey may look young for their age, they were playing younger when they portrayed 14-year-old Ellie in season 1. Furthermore, swapping out the Ellie actor would disrupt the continuity of The Last of Us in between seasons. This choice could risk the show losing momentum as season 2 would have to re-establish the strong Joel-Ellie rapport that Ramsey and Pedro Pascal have worked so hard to build.
Logistical worries aside, Ramsey is also a great Ellie simply because of the nuance and intricacy they bring to their performance. The actor has already been recognized for this role in several ways through both Emmy and Golden Globe nominations. Even as the hate inevitably rages on, the outpouring of love for The Last of Us and Ramsey’s performance will outshine that.
