After a delightfully queer first season, Bella Ramsey is excited to return to The Last of Us and play out the story of Ellie and Dina in season two.
The HBO’s series, inspired by the Naughty Dog game, earned acclaim in one season. For those unfamiliar, the story follows two characters, Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey), attempting to survive in a post-apocalyptic world.
Pascal and Ramsey swiftly became the unexpected powerhouse duo, delivering both on and off the screen in a way we never knew we needed. Enthusiasm is building (ours included) for the return of the two actors to their roles, particularly with the prospect of a beautiful love story unfolding between Ellie’s character and newcomer Dina. And we are not the only ones!
“I’m really excited,” Ramsey told PinkNews. They went on to share their discovery of this role and recounted their introduction to the game, initially drawn in by its historic status as the first to feature a lesbian kiss in video game history.
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“It was awesome. I remember when I was researching The Last of Us, I saw that this ‘Left Behind’ story from the game, so [I was like]: ‘I really hope that’s in the show’,” they said.
Alongside the heartbreaking love story between survivors Bill and Frank, the narrative takes a nostalgic turn, delving into Ellie’s teenage romance with her friend Riley (played by Storm Reid).
“When the script came through of Riley and Ellie’s story, I was very pleased. What was cool about it as well is that it was really relevant to the story – it wasn’t just saying: ‘We’re going to make a queer episode’.
“Same with the Bill and Frank story. It was relevant and really fed into Ellie’s story and how she is now.” They continued, “It helped to piece together people’s back story. It felt justified and very beautiful.”
The 20-year-old nonbinary actor is taking Hollywood by storm. They are up for a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. However, their nomination has sparked controversy and reminded many about the need for non-gendered award categories.
Related | ‘The Last of Us’ Bella Ramsey Comes Out As Gender Fluid
Ellie’s story will continue in season two when The Last of Us returns to HBO. For now, you can stream season one here.
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