Bella Ramsey

Isabella May Ramsey ( RAM-zee; born 25 September 2003) is an English actor. They are known for their breakthrough roles as young noblewoman Lyanna Mormont in the HBO fantasy television series Game of Thrones (2016–2019), and as Ellie in the HBO post-apocalyptic drama series The Last of Us (2023–present). For the latter, they received nominations for a Screen Actors Guild Award, BAFTA Television Award, two Primetime Emmy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards and two Critics' Choice Awards. Ramsey was featured on Time magazine's Time 100 Next list of rising stars in 2023, and on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe list in 2024.

Ramsey played Mildred Hubble in the CBBC series The Worst Witch (2017–2020), voiced the title role in the Netflix animated series Hilda (2018–2023), and starred in the historical comedy film Catherine Called Birdy (2022), for which they were nominated for the Critics' Choice Award for Best Young Performer. Ramsey's portrayal of Kelsey Morgan in the BBC prison drama Time (2023) earned them the Royal Television Society Award for Female Supporting Actor.

Early life

Isabella May Ramsey was born in Nottingham on 25 September 2003. Ramsey has kept details of their family private but has said they have an older sister and that "my whole family is very musical and creative". Ramsey was raised in Leicestershire and began their education there. They moved to the online school King's InterHigh at age 12, saying that mainstream secondary school was not conducive to their happiness, especially because of their neurodivergence. The flexible online programme allowed Ramsey to balance their studies with their acting career.

Growing up, Ramsey enjoyed art, music, writing and football, and performed with local amateur theatre groups, including Stagecoach. At age 10, Ramsey joined the Television Workshop in Nottingham, which provided training and support for early auditions, including Game of Thrones. Ramsey continued to attend the Workshop into adulthood and credits it with shaping their approach to acting: "[it] teaches you to be and become. No pretending." Reflecting on their career, Ramsey said, "I never really set out to be [an actor], and then it sort of happened. I wouldn't have it any other way."

Career

2016–2022: Early work

Ramsey made their professional debut at age 11 as Lyanna Mormont in the HBO fantasy drama series Game of Thrones (2016–2019). Ramsey later said that the set "felt very natural" and immediately like a place where they belonged. After their debut in the sixth season episode "The Broken Man", critics and viewers praised Ramsey's portrayal of a no-nonsense leader at such a young age. Co-showrunner D. B. Weiss said that Lyanna was originally intended to appear in only one scene, but Ramsey's performance led the production team to expand the character into a recurring supporting role. Following their appearance in the season finale, The Hollywood Reporter described Ramsey as the sixth season's breakout star. Ramsey continued in the role for the series's seventh and eighth seasons.

While appearing on Game of Thrones, Ramsey also took on their first leading television role as Mildred Hubble in the CBBC fantasy drama series The Worst Witch (2017–2019). Critics commended Ramsey's performance as a demonstration of their versatility and willingness to adapt to different characters. Their portrayal earned Ramsey a BAFTA Children's Award for best Young Performer. During filming of the first season, Ramsey developed anorexia nervosa, partly due to the anxiety of spending long periods away from home while still young. Although they had largely recovered by the third season, Ramsey decided not to return, and the role was recast with Lydia Page for the fourth and final season.

During breaks from filming Game of Thrones and The Worst Witch, Ramsey took on supporting roles in several short and feature-length films, including the psychological drama Two for Joy (2018), the comedy Holmes & Watson (2018), and the biographical drama Judy (2019). Ramsey also expanded into voice acting with their portrayal of the title character in the Netflix animated series Hilda (2018–2023) and television film Hilda and the Mountain King (2021). The series won three Daytime Emmy Awards, and Ramsey earned nominations for Best Voice Performance at the British Animation Awards in 2020 and 2022. Ramsey also contributed musically by writing and performing the song "The Life of Hilda" for the series's second season.

Ramsey next played the orphan Elsbeth in the biographical drama Resistance (2020), which depicts how Marcel Marceau helped Jewish children escape Nazi persecution during World War II. Ramsey said they were drawn to the film because "the script didn't shy away from the reality of war" in telling what they viewed as an important story. Although the film received mixed reviews, TheWrap's Michael Nordine praised Ramsey's performance as "expressive" and "affecting", and wrote that "great things can be expected of the teenage thespian in the future". Later that year, Ramsey appeared in the second season of the HBO fantasy drama His Dark Materials (2020). Casting director Kahleen Crawford recalled that Ramsey and co-star Ella Schrey-Yeats's performances as Angelica and Paola, respectively, led to the roles being expanded to provide additional screen time.

Between larger projects, Ramsey continued to work in short films, including Three Minutes of Silence (2020), the horror-drama Requiem (2021), in which they appeared alongside fellow Television Workshop alumni Safia Oakley-Green, and Villain (2023). Ramsey's next television role was Lady Jane Grey in the Starz historical drama Becoming Elizabeth (2022), which chronicles the early years of Elizabeth I. Megan O'Keefe of Decider described Ramsey as the "scene-stealer of the cast", while Kristen Lopez of IndieWire opined that Ramsey's portrayal of Grey was "perfectly played". Although the series received positive reviews, it was cancelled after the first season due to low ratings.

Ramsey starred in their first leading film role as Lady Catherine in Catherine Called Birdy (2022), a medieval coming-of-age comedy written and directed by Lena Dunham and adapted from the novel by Karen Cushman. The film received positive reviews, with critics describing Ramsey as a "thrilling screen presence" and "infectious delight". Rolling Stone's David Fear felt that Birdy was "played remarkably and brilliantly by [Ramsey] ... who seems to be a gift from the casting gods". Ramsey also wrote and performed "Birdy Song" for the film's soundtrack.

2023–present: International recognition

Ramsey experienced a further career breakthrough with their portrayal of Ellie in HBO's post-apocalyptic drama series The Last of Us (2023–present). During filming of the first season, Ramsey and co-star Pedro Pascal (who portrayed Joel) developed a close friendship. Pascal described Ramsey as "his blessing" and said the two were "linked souls". Critics praised the chemistry between Ramsey and Pascal as well as their individual performances. Ramsey received several major award nominations, including for a Primetime Emmy Award, Golden Globe Award, Screen Actors Guild Award, and Critics' Choice Award. At the time of nomination, they were also the youngest ever leading actress nominee for a British Academy Television Award (BAFTA). For their role, Ramsey was selected for the 2023 BAFTA Breakthrough program, which highlights emerging talent in film, television, and games. Ramsey was also included on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe list for 2024.

The second season of The Last of Us was released in 2025. With Pascal taking on a reduced role, Ramsey spent much of the season without him and said the experience was "more challenging" and "felt like more weight". Critics praised Ramsey's performance, writing that they shouldered the season's demands and conveyed Ellie's development into young adulthood with depth and nuance. Ramsey was again nominated for a Golden Globe Award, a Critics' Choice Award and a Primetime Emmy Award, becoming the youngest two-time Emmy lead drama actress nominee. Media coverage of the season included reports of online harassment directed at Ramsey over their appearance, performance, and gender identity, and identified Reddit communities dedicated to criticism and memes about their looks. Journalists situated this as part of a broader trend in young, female-presenting actors being targeted for their roles, such as Halle Bailey for The Little Mermaid (2023) and Rachel Zegler for Snow White (2025). Ramsey's acoustic rendition of A-ha's "Take on Me" in the episode "Day One" was included on the soundtrack album.