One of the co-stars of HBO's hit post-apocalyptic drama, The Last of Us, is the first name cast in an upcoming movie about an infamous British terrorist. Acclaimed actor Bella Ramsey will play the "White Widow" in the Celsius Entertainment title, Girl Next Door.
Per Variety, Girl Next Door sees Ramsey portray Samantha Lewthwaite, a Northern Irish woman who falls in love with Islam after being introduced to the faith by her neighbors and best friend. However, Lewthwaite gets caught up in the more extremist elements of Islam, leading to her becoming one of the world's most wanted terrorist suspects. The plot chronicles Lewthwaite in the immediate aftermath of the 7/7 London bombings in 2005, piecing together her husband's (Germaine Lindsay) involvement in the attacks. The film subsequently explores how much she knew about the 7/7 plot and the events that led to Lewthwaite becoming the "White Widow," allegedly causing hundreds of deaths and becoming a member of the Somalia-based radical Islamic group, Al-Shabaab.
Leave to Remain's Bruce Goodison will write and direct Girl Next Door, saying, “The film is unapologetically from Sam’s perspective — anyone playing Sam needs to be fearless. Bella Ramsey is the perfect fit. Bella will bring heart, life and complexity to this role.” Regarding the story and its complexity, Goodison added, “This film is about a young life-affirming idealist with a broken heart. Sam turns her grief into a strength that was then exploited by men for purposes of global terror. I just didn’t believe the hype – was Sam really the terrorist mastermind the press and anti-terror police would have us believe, or was there another truth? Her truth. I’ve written an unsettling mystery that asks how it might feel if the person you love and expect to share a life with goes out one day and commits an act of terror that challenges everything you hold dear?”
Bella Ramsey's Girl Next Door Starts Shooting in October
Girl Next Door begins shooting this October, with BFI involved in its development. The movie will launch at the Cannes Film Festival later this month. Ramsey's big-screen features include Holmes & Watson, Requeim and, most recently, Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget. Ramsey has previously expressed an interest in playing more conflicted characters in movies.
Ramsey is currently filming The Last of Us Season 2, which sees her reprise her role as Ellie alongside Pedro Pascal's Joel Miller in the popular video game adaptation. The former Game of Thrones actor earned Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for her portrayal of Ellie, cementing herself as a rising Hollywood star. The Last of Us Season 1 became HBO's most-viewed original series since Game of Thrones' final season, though it's since been passed as Max's most-watched title by Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV.
Ramsey has teased a more "violent" side of her character in The Last of Us Season 2 and beyond. Her character arc will be explored further thanks to the addition of Isabel Merced as Dina, Ellie's close friend-turned-girlfriend.
