Brought to the public's attention by Game of Thrones, young star Bella Ramsey has now established herself as the soul of The Last of Us. Behind this talented, though criticized, performance, the artist reveals her way of living and playing with autism, in a natural and hostile filming environment.
The Last of Us: a colossal challenge for Bella Ramsey
Filming season 2 of The Last of Us was difficult for all the actors and members of the film crew. Indeed, the HBO Max channel and the series' creators, Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann (also a writer for the games and co-president of Naughty Dog), decided to film the events taking place in Jackson in real conditions. Thus, the snowstorm and the negative temperatures that we can see on screen are not visual or digital artifices. The filming took place in winter, in the province of Alberta, Canada. Very difficult conditions, but accepted by the entire team, to add a sense of authenticity to the post-apocalyptic series. Bella Ramsey, who plays Ellie, recently opened up about the colossal challenge this shoot represented for them, mainly because of their autism.
A life-saving diagnosis, a sensitivity put to the test
It was during the filming of season 1 that they learned they had autism spectrum disorder. A diagnosis that the artist experienced as a liberation. During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, they revealed how their condition influences their approach to the profession on a daily basis. Autism particularly disrupts their sensory sensitivity. However, the extreme conditions—cold, mud, and snowstorms—forced the production to provide the cast and crew with waterproof suits to stay dry. These were clothes that were difficult for them to wear.
Wearing waterproof clothing was absolutely excruciating. I tried to be humorous to cope, but sometimes, by midday, I would literally tear them off.
Adding to these difficulties was the constant fatigue of such a demanding shoot. For an autistic person, fatigue exacerbates the difficulties: sensory irritability, concentration problems, and more complicated emotional management. Yet, Bella Ramsey was able to channel this hypersensitivity to fuel her acting and deliver a moving performance, particularly in the key scene of episode 2.
Bella Ramsey left social media before filming season 2
Beyond the challenges of filming, another challenge affected Bella Ramsey: the public's physical expectations. Already targeted by some audiences for her lack of resemblance to Ellie, the star also had to face homophobic comments from some haters. In season 2, the character she plays is 5 years older and has gained in athletic condition. Even though the artist underwent intensive training in jiu-jitsu and bodybuilding, they had to face the facts: their human body could never be an exact copy of a digital avatar.
Ellie's appearance in the game obsessed me, especially her very muscular arms. My body isn't like that.
Faced with this pressure and the daily toxicity of some fans, Bella Ramsey made a radical decision before filming season 2: quit social media.
I knew I would deactivate my accounts one day. It wasn't a drama. By avoiding X and Reddit, everything is much better.
What do you think of season 2 of The Last of Us so far? We're waiting for your opinions in the comments!
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