Bella Ramsey’s journey from an 11-year-old on the set of ‘Game of Thrones’ to an emotionally complex lead in ‘The Last of Us’ is a testament to their evolution as an actor. The actress gained recognition as Lyanna and now has further proved her talent with Ellie.
Recently, in a candid conversation with Kit Harington, Ramsey revisited a deeply memorable moment from their early acting days and opened up about their most challenging scene to date.
Kit Harington Was Humiliated After Needing 11-Year-Old Bella Ramsey’s Help In Remembering Lines
When Bella Ramsey joined the cast of ‘Game of Thrones’ as Lyanna Mormont, they were just 11 years old. Despite their age, they made an immediate and unforgettable impact. Lyanna, the stern and sharp-tongued head of House Mormont, quickly became a fan favorite thanks to her powerful performance. In a series filled with larger-than-life characters, she commanded the screen.
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However, behind the confident delivery was a moment that Ramsey still cringes about to this day. In their very first scene with Kit Harington, who by then was a seasoned veteran of the show, Ramsey found themselves mouthing his lines during filming. “I remember it quite vividly and have some remorse for it now,” Ramsey admitted to Interview magazine. “At the time, it came from a very innocent place of being like, ‘Kit’s struggling with his line and I know it, so let me just mouth it to him.’”
While Ramsey laughs about it now, they described it as a moment of “humiliation”, but not just for themselves. Harington, with equal humor and humility, confessed, “I do remember you helping me out and it being quite humiliating.” Still, he assured Ramsey that the experience left a positive impression on him. “You brought a confidence and clarity that was quite unusual for a young actor. It didn’t feel like working with a child. It felt like working with a very experienced actor,” he said.
What makes the story even more endearing is Ramsey’s reflection on their own age. “I remember not feeling like a child,” they said. “But now I see 11-year-olds and realize how tiny they are… It’s weird to me that I was that size and that young.” The actor has proven her capabilities time and again. Now, alongside Pedro Pascal, she has become a household name.
Bella Ramsey On The Hardest Scene In ‘The Last Of Us’
Fast forward a decade, and Bella Ramsey is no longer a newcomer but a leading force in ‘The Last of Us.’ In the show, she portrays Ellie, a teen survivor navigating a post-apocalyptic world. The role demands grit, emotional vulnerability, and depth, and Ramsey has delivered all three. Yet, it was not the high-stakes action or gut-wrenching losses that proved the most difficult for them to shoot.
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It was a quiet, heartbreaking moment in episode three of season two that pushed them to their emotional edge. In the scene, Ellie breaks down alone, grieving Joel’s loss while inhaling the scent of one of his jackets inside a closet. There are no explosions, no infected monsters, just pain. “That was the hardest scene,” Ramsey confessed. “I really struggle with crying in scenes… It’s virtually impossible for me.”
This vulnerability is something many viewers may not see behind the camera. “I don’t cry in front of people in my everyday life,” Ramsey shared. “A very, very limited amount of people in my life will see me cry. The thing that is always the saddest for me is remembering the happy things,” Ramsey explained. Instead of forcing the emotion, they thought back to moments of laughter and connection with Pascal.
