We’re just over a week away from HBO’s The Last of Us series, which is based on the successful franchise spearheaded by Naughty Dog and stars Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal in the lead roles as Ellie and Joel, respectively. The Game of Thrones veterans will be bringing two of the most beloved video games characters and father-daughter duos of all time to life on January 15. However, with great fame comes great responsibility and despite her brief turn as Lyanna Mormont on Game of Thrones, Ramsey isn’t as much of a household name as, let’s say, Pascal, and at one time, she preferred it to stay that way.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter on The Last of Us, Ramsey revealed that she almost turned down the role of Ellie as she felt some hesitation to adopt the paparazzi lifestyle that she’d tried so hard to avoid until now. It’s no small feat to portray Ellie Williams, who’s not only a cultural icon, but also a staple for the LGBTQ+ community. When discussing her reluctance with The Hollywood Reporter, Ramsey had this to say:
“‘I seriously considered that maybe I don’t want to be famous so I’m not going to do this show because it’s going propel me to a place I don’t want to go to in terms of being seen and being known,’ Ramsey says. ‘I like to blend in and hide.’”
The Last of Us will draw inspiration from Naughty Dog’s Playstation 4 exclusive and likely its sequel, The Last of Us: Part II, later down the line. Pedro Pascal portrays Joel, a smuggler tasked with delivering abrasive teenager Ellie (Ramsey) to a resistance known as the Fireflies on the other side of post-outbreak America. Craig Mazin, Carolyn Strauss and Rose Lam Waddell serve as executive producers, while Ashley Johnson and Troy Baker, the face/voice actors for Naughty Dog-verse Ellie and Joel, respectively, also star in undisclosed roles along with Gabriel Luna as Tommy, Anna Torv as Tess, Merle Dandridge as Marlene and more.
Who knows? Perhaps Ramsey will learn to love the limelight, since she’s about to become the live-action face of Ellie. She and Pascal seem to have electrifying chemistry together, so there’s plenty for The Last of Us fans to be excited for. Either way, Ramsey took the role in the end, and we’re glad she did.
