2. Bella Ramsey as…Lyanna Mormont in Game of Thrones
Here’s the role that really kicked Bella Ramsey’s career into high gear. She appeared as Lady Lyanna Mormont in the seventh episode of season 6, “The Broken Man,” and things were never the same.
Lyanna is a young girl who is nevertheless the leader of Bear Island, owing to the fact that many of her older family members had died in the War of the Five Kings. Fierce and authoritative far beyond her years, Lyanna was an instant hit with fans who loved watching this little girl school men and women many times her senior on matters of honor and duty. The character was so popular that the showrunners expanded her role going forward; she died an epic death in season 8, killing a full-grown giant as she breathed her last.
By the Ramsey appeared on Game of Thrones, the show was already a worldwide phenomenon that had turned a number of actors into household names. So for her to steal the scene like this was impressive. Clearly, Ramsey had an abundance of natural talent. She’s currently that to work in her best role to date:
1. Bella Ramsey as…Ellie in The Last of Us
There’s little question that Ellie is the best role that Bella Ramsey has played up to this point. It represents a new step forward in her career. Like with The Worst Witch, she’s leading a series, but this time it’s a high-profile show on HBO rather than a little-known Netflix series aimed at kids. She’s finally broken out of the medieval milieu she’s been stuck in since Game of Thrones, instead playing a foul-mouthed teenager who grew up in the ruins of a society brought down by a zombie apocalypse.
Ramsey always radiates charisma when she’s on the screen, but as Ellie she’s also gotten to show off her range. We know that Ramsey can be fierce and angry, and Ellie can certainly be both of those things. But we’ve also seen her be vulnerable, as in the seventh episode where we explore Ellie’s backstory with her friend Riley. We’ve watched her develop her chemistry with Pedro Pascal’s Joel over the course of an entire season of television, to the point where they’ve become one of the most iconic duos on TV. With The Last of Us, Ramsey proves that she isn’t just a talented young actor, but a potential shining star.
HBO has already renewed The Last of Us for a second season. Given the events of The Last of Us Part 2 video game, Ramsey has incredibly challenging material ahead. We fully expect her to deliver, on the show and beyond.
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