The Last of Us star Bella Ramsey opens up on gender fluid identity: ‘In terms of pronouns, I really couldn’t care less’-Sabrina Barr-Entertainment – Metro

Bella stars as video game fan-favourite Ellie in the TV show (Picture: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)

The Last of Us star Bella Ramsey has opened up about her gender identity, explaining that ‘being gendered isn’t something that I particularly like’.

In a few days, the TV adaptation of the acclaimed video game series is set to launch on HBO in the US and on Sky in the UK, telling the story of a world plagued by a seemingly never-ending pandemic where humans have been infected by a mutated fungus.

Bella plays Ellie, a teenager who appears to be immune to the Cordyceps infection and could be the key to humanity’s survival, while The Mandalorian star Pedro Pascal stars opposite her as Joel, a smuggler who must try to transport her across the US.

Both actors previously appeared in Game of Thrones, as fan-favourites Lady Lyanna Mormont and Prince Oberyn Martell respectively, although they didn’t share any scenes together.

During a recent interview, Bella, 19, spoke about being gender fluid, having recently received a Critics Choice Award nomination in the non-gender-specific category of best young actor or actress, for her performance in Lena Dunham’s Catherine Called Birdy.

‘I guess my gender has always been very fluid,’ she told The New York Times.

Ellie and Joel are disgruntled to have to work together at first (Picture: HBO MAX/Planet Photos)

‘Someone would call me “she” or “her” and I wouldn’t think about it, but if I knew that if someone called me “he” it was a bit exciting.’

The His Dark Materials actor added that she ticks the ‘non-binary’ option on forms when it is available, stating: ‘I’m very much just a person. Being gendered isn’t something that I particularly like, but in terms of pronouns, I really couldn’t care less.’

Following the publication of the article, Bella expressed her thanks to those involved in the interview and photo shoot, saying that ‘these people created a safe space where I could be myself’.

Pedro said that he and Bella ‘clung to each other for dear life’ while filming in Atlanta for a year (Picture: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)

‘I didn’t realise how grateful I was for that,’ she added.

In a separate interview, Bella emphasised the importance of Ellie’s sexual orientation being honoured in the TV series, after it was revealed in the video game series that she was in love with her best friend Riley, played on the show by Storm Reid.

‘It’s not a spoiler – Ellie’s a lesbian,’ the TV adaptation’s showrunner Craig Mazin stated.

‘That’s just the way it is. We had the benefit when we made the show of something that Neil didn’t have when he made the game. We have all of it.’

In response to concern that Ellie being a lesbian would be cut from the programme, Bella added to Yahoo Entertainment: ‘That was never gonna be the case.

‘I wouldn’t have let that happen either. It’s part of who she is and what I like about the show is that it’s not made into this huge deal. It’s her existing in this world and loving women… and Joel is cool with it. I think it’s done really well.’

The Last of Us premieres on January 16 on Sky Atlantic and NOW.

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