‘Game of Thrones’ Showrunners Encouraged Craig Mazin to Cast Bella Ramsey in ‘The Last of Us’
Finding the right person to play Ellie in The Last of Us was no small task. The HBO series was adapted from Naughty Dog’s video game of the same name. The creative minds behind the series explored quite a few options before settling on Game of Thrones actor Bella Ramsey for the role. The showrunners even contacted the Game of Thrones showrunners for a recommendation.
Bella Ramsey played Lyanna Mormont in ‘Game of Thrones’
Actor Bella Ramsey had a recurring role as Lyanna Mormont in Game of Thrones. Lyanna first appeared in season 6 when Jon Snow and Sansa Stark attempted to rally Northern leaders against House Bolton. At a young age, Lyanna became the Lady of Bear Island and lead her people competently and effectively.
Ramsey was originally supposed to have a minimal role in Game of Thrones, but her performance convinced showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss to keep bringing her back.
“Part of what excites me is the performance of these actors. So many of them have been with us since the beginning, and they’ve grown — both literally for the kids and as characters,” Benioff said in a 2019 interview with Entertainment Weekly.
“In many cases, they’re going so far beyond what was expected for them. Some, like Lyanna Mormont [Bella Ramsey], were just supposed to be in one scene. Bella is such an incredible actress that we kept bringing her back because we wanted more Bella.”
David Benioff and Dan Weiss gave Bella Ramsey a glowing recommendation when Craig Maxin considered casting her in ‘The Last of Us’
Years later, Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin got to work adapting the 2013 video game The Last of Us into an HBO series. The pair had their work cut out for them in finding the perfect actor to play Ellie, a 14-year-old girl who might be humanity’s last hope.
While speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, Druckmann told the outlet they needed an actor who could appear “tough and vulnerable and wise beyond [their] years and also have a potential for violence.” The showrunners saw “dozens” of actors while looking for the right one.
Finally, Ramsey’s audition tape struck Mazin. “Bella felt so real,” Druckmann added. “It was like Ellie realized in live action. It didn’t feel like watching an actor.” Mazin then reached out to Benioff and Weiss. Unsurprisingly, the Game of Thrones showrunners assured him that Ramsey was “an absolute joy on set.”
‘The Last of Us’ is a hit for HBO
Less than a month after auditioning, Ramsey landed the role of Ellie in The Last of Us. The series has since become a hit for HBO. Last week, the network released the third episode of the season. According to Variety, 6.4 million viewers tuned in to watch.
Season 1 of The Last of Us is expected to have nine episodes in total. Unsurprisingly thanks to its massive viewership, the HBO series has also already been renewed for season 2.
New episodes of The Last of Us drop every Sunday at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max.
