Bella Ramsey wasn't what people expected. When HBO first announced that the breakout star from Game of Thrones would play Ellie Williams, the internet basically had a collective meltdown. You remember the discourse. It was everywhere. Fans of the Naughty Dog game were obsessed with physical resemblance, scrolling through side-by-side comparisons and complaining that Ramsey didn't look enough like the pixelated character they'd spent dozens of hours controlling on their PlayStations.
They were wrong.
Honestly, casting an actress Last of Us fans could rally behind was always going to be a minefield. Ellie isn't just a character; she’s a cultural icon of survival, foul-mouthed resilience, and deep-seated trauma. Finding a teenager who could carry that weight while trading barbs with Pedro Pascal’s Joel was a massive ask. But as Season 1 unfolded, it became pretty clear that showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann weren't looking for a lookalike. They were looking for a soul.
The Audition That Changed Everything
Casting director Victoria Thomas had a monumental task. They looked at over 100 people for the role. Think about that for a second. A hundred different interpretations of Ellie. Some were too soft. Some were too "TV polished."
Then came Ramsey’s tape.
Mazin has gone on record saying he watched her audition and felt a physical reaction. It wasn't about the hair or the face. It was the energy. Ramsey has this specific ability to feel incredibly dangerous and incredibly vulnerable at the exact same time. It’s a rare combo. You see it in the way she holds a switchblade—it's not a prop; it's an extension of her survival instinct.
Beyond the Pixels: Why Realism Matters
We need to talk about the "uncanny valley" of live-action adaptations. If you cast someone solely because they look like a drawing, you often end up with a stiff performance. The actress Last of Us viewers needed had to inhabit a world that was grittier and more tactile than the game.
In the show, Ellie’s violence feels heavier. When Ramsey’s Ellie fights back against David in that burning steakhouse, it isn't a "cool" action sequence. It is desperate. It’s harrowing. It's the kind of performance that makes you forget about the source material entirely and just worry for the kid on the screen.
The chemistry with Pedro Pascal is the real engine, though. They didn't meet before filming started. That sounds like a recipe for disaster, right? Usually, you want chemistry reads. But Mazin trusted the individual talent. That awkwardness you see in the first couple of episodes? That’s real. They were actually getting to know each other while filming in the freezing wilds of Alberta, Canada.
The Backlash and the Pivot
Social media can be a toxic swamp. Ramsey has been open about how the initial casting backlash affected them. It’s tough. You’re a young actor stepping into a massive franchise, and thousands of strangers are telling you that you're "wrong" for it before you’ve even put on the costume.
- Ramsey avoided looking at the game's footage too much to keep the performance fresh.
- The production focused on the "spirit" of the character rather than a carbon copy.
- Fans eventually shifted from skepticism to praise by the time "Left Behind" aired.
The turning point for most skeptics was Episode 8, "When We Are in Need." Ramsey's performance there was a masterclass in feral desperation. It wasn't "Video Game Ellie." It was something more human.
What to Expect for Season 2 and Beyond
Now we're looking at the time jump. The Last of Us Part II is a different beast entirely. It’s darker, more polarizing, and physically demanding. The actress Last of Us fans are watching now has to transition from a 14-year-old girl to a 19-year-old woman consumed by a quest for vengeance.
People are already asking: "Can Ramsey play the older Ellie?"
Yes.
Ramsey is actually older than the character they play in Season 1. By the time Season 2 hits screens in 2025 or 2026, the natural aging process and the work of a top-tier makeup department will close that gap easily. The bigger challenge isn't the look—it's the emotional shift. The Ellie of Part II is a person who has lost her North Star. She is brutal. She is, in many ways, the antagonist of her own story for a while.
Comparison to the Game Performance
We have to give flowers to Ashley Johnson. She originated the role in the games through motion capture and voice acting. Johnson actually appeared in the HBO series as Ellie’s mother, Anna, which was a beautiful way to pass the torch.
📖 Related: Why Captain Jack Sparrow Funny Moments Still Rule the Internet Decades Later
Johnson’s Ellie was defined by a specific kind of rasp and a wide-eyed wonder that slowly curdled into cynicism. Ramsey’s version feels a bit more "street smart" from the jump. She’s snarkier. There’s a British dry wit that bleeds through the American accent, giving this version of the character a unique flavor. It’s not better or worse; it’s just a different lens on the same tragedy.
The Impact on Casting for Future Game Adaptations
This show changed the rules. Look at how Fallout was cast, or how future projects are being handled. Producers are realizing that "fan casting" based on Instagram edits usually results in shallow performances. They are prioritizing actors who can handle the internal monologue of a character.
The success of the actress Last of Us chose has set a new gold standard. It proved that if you get the acting right, the "look" doesn't matter nearly as much as the gatekeepers think it does.
Actionable Steps for Fans and Critics
If you're still on the fence or just getting into the series, here is how to appreciate the nuance of the performance:
- Watch the "Look for the Light" Making-of Documentary: It’s on Max. It shows the raw footage of Ramsey on set. You can see the transition from a joking teenager to a traumatized survivor the second the camera rolls.
- Focus on the Eyes: In the final scene of Season 1, when Joel tells his big lie, look at Ramsey’s eyes. There’s a flicker of "I know you're lying, but I need to believe you." That’s high-level acting that many seasoned veterans can't pull off.
- Listen to the Podcast: The HBO Last of Us Podcast features Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann breaking down why they chose specific scenes for Ramsey to shine in. It gives a lot of context to the "Why" behind the casting.
- Revisit Game of Thrones: If you only know them as Ellie, go back and watch Ramsey as Lyanna Mormont. You’ll see the seeds of that "tiny but terrifying" energy that made them perfect for the apocalypse.
The conversation around casting will always be loud. But at the end of the day, the numbers don't lie. Record-breaking viewership and Emmy nominations have validated the choice. Ramsey isn't just playing Ellie; they’ve redefined who Ellie can be for a whole new audience.
💡 You might also like: Where to watch W.I.T.C.H. free online without losing your mind
Next time a casting announcement drops for your favorite game, maybe take a beat before hitting the keyboard. If this show taught us anything, it’s that the best person for the job is rarely the person who looks the most like the concept art. It's the person who can make you feel the weight of the world ending.