In the second season of HBO's hit series "The Last of Us," Bella Ramsey's portrayal of Ellie is marked by intense action sequences, heart-wrenching moments, and emotional turmoil. Yet, among the myriad of challenging scenes, a poignant moment from Sunday's third episode proved to be the most daunting for Ramsey to film.
Recalling the scene where Ellie, grieving over the loss of Joel (played by Pedro Pascal), weeps as she inhales the scent of one of his jackets in the closet, Ramsey revealed that this was the scene that filled her with the utmost apprehension. "Oh God, that closet scene was the toughest," lamented the 21-year-old Emmy nominee. "I've always struggled with crying on camera. I can manage a tear, but genuine sobbing is another matter entirely. Even coaxing out a single tear is no easy feat for me. I'm not one to cry in front of others in my daily life, and very few people have ever witnessed my tears. Having to do so amidst a bustling set, with cameras rolling and even more eyes watching via monitors, felt nearly impossible for me. That scene really had me worried, and it proved to be the most arduous for me to film."
However, Ramsey ultimately rose to the occasion, and the irony of her approach to mastering the scene was striking. "In the past, I've tried to evoke emotion by thinking about deeply sad events in my personal life," Ramsey shared. "But that approach never worked for me because it took me out of Ellie's reality. Instead, I found myself reminiscing about the happiest memories I have with Pedro."
"For me, nothing is sadder than recalling happy times," she continued. "I was reminiscing about our first few meetings, the entire season one shoot, and our funniest moments together. As I reflected on these memories through the lens of losing him—not just Joel and Ellie, but me and Pedro—I realized how intricately intertwined our real-life and fictional bonds were. The memories of Pedro, Joel, Ellie, and me are forever entwined in my heart."
During last week's cover story in "The Hollywood Reporter," Ramsey elaborated further on her feelings about parting ways (professionally, at least) with Pascal. "Knowing from the outset of the show that our time together would be limited made us cherish each other even more," Ramsey confessed. "It was something that deeply moved us both while we were filming. We'll always be a part of each other's lives and hearts."
Ramsey also spoke about her new role as the sole lead of the HBO hit, following Pascal's character's demise. "I would never consider myself a natural leader," Ramsey admitted. "But when given responsibility, I find that I genuinely enjoy the feeling and take it very seriously. I'm thrilled to lead a set and have a significant influence over its tone and dynamics, especially given the preconceived notions about a young person atop the call sheet. Everyone should know that they are valued as both crew and cast members, and that we are all equals."
