Bella Ramsey isn’t messing around when it comes to season two of The Last of Us. The Emmy-nominated actor, who plays Ellie in HBO’s gritty post-apocalyptic series, told Jimmy Fallon this week that they spent two full months training before cameras even rolled.
“Brazilian jiu-jitsu, combat, boxing… I could take you down,” Bella quipped on The Tonight Show, flashing a grin. But this wasn’t just for fun. With season two ramping up both the action and the emotional stakes, Bella had to be ready, physically and mentally.
And it’s not just the stunt work. The scripts this time hit differently.
“I actually cried reading one of the scripts this season. I’ve never cried reading a piece of writing before, but I did,” they said, hinting that Ellie’s journey is about to get even more intense. “Whenever there’s something dark and intense, I’m into it.”
The second season draws heavily from the Last of Us Part II video game, where Ellie becomes a more hardened and driven character. It’s a tough emotional arc to portray, and Bella seems more than ready for it.
Despite their on-screen intensity, Bella admitted they don’t cry much in real life. “That’s probably not healthy,” they laughed, noting that while their character goes through massive emotional turmoil, off-screen they stay composed, most of the time.
Bella has also opened up recently about their autism diagnosis, revealing in British Vogue that a crew member on The Last of Us set helped identify the signs. “The label has been so helpful to me,” Bella said. “It’s helped me understand myself better.”
That understanding, they believe, makes them a better actor. “Having to learn more manually how to socialise and interact has helped me with acting,” Bella explained, adding that structured sets give them comfort: “I have a call time, I’m told what to wear, how to stand, where to stand, and what to eat.”
As for gender and identity, Bella, who came out as non-binary in 2023, is still figuring it all out. “Labels don’t feel comfy for me in any capacity,” they said. “I feel like I’m putting myself into a box.”
But on set and on screen, one thing’s clear: Bella Ramsey is showing up more powerful and more prepared than ever.
