Let's Talk About The Last of Us, Bella Ramsey, and Online Bullying
I just joined the The Last of Us fandom…two years too late. Or some may say fifteen years too late. Either way, the HBO show has hooked me. And traumatized me. I’m going to assume this is not an original experience. It has been on my mind constantly since watching the first episode, and a day hasn’t yet gone by where I don’t think about the characters. Since Season 2 of the show is currently being released every Sunday, that’s not going to change anytime soon.
If you’re not familiar with The Last of Us, it is essentially a story about survival in a post-apocalyptic world that has been ravaged by a fungal plague, turning people into the Infected. Joel, a deeply world-weary man, has to escort Ellie, a 14-year-old who is immune to the infection, across the country to deliver her to a group of rebels who are hoping to create a cure. Now, this is specifically Season 1 of the show (Part 1 of the video game it stems from). Season 2 (Part 2 of the game) is a whole different ball game that even I don’t yet know the full extent of, as I haven’t yet been completely spoiled and I intend to keep it that way for as long as possible…which probably isn’t long. Either way, the heart of the show (and game) is the connection between Joel and Ellie.
One thing I have noticed through observing TLOU discourse, mainly for those who have previously played the games, is the fixation with how closely the actors mirror the characters in terms of appearance. This is only to be expected when an incredibly beloved piece of media is adapted into a different medium. There is intense loyalty to the story and its characters, and an intense desire for it to stay faithful to the original. As someone who hasn’t yet played the games (actually devastated that it isn’t available to play on a Mac), I’m aware that I don’t have the same perspective, perhaps the same personal connection, that original fans of the game do. But when this discourse shifts into blatant hostility and bullying, that’s where I feel I can step in and be a part of the conversation.
Bella Ramsey (who prefers they/them pronouns) plays Ellie in the HBO show, and they have been at the center of much of this criticism. Much of this criticism––in fact, anecdotally, the majority of it––revolves around their looks. I’m not going to include what some people on the internet have said; in my view, they are purely looking for attention, which I don’t seek to give them. (If you haven’t encountered any of these comments and are really curious, just look at some of the top posts of r/TheLastOfUs2). What I will say is that many of the comments they’ve been receiving have been extremely degrading and disrespectful. In a recent Hollywood Reporter interview, Ramsey admitted that they had deactivated their social media accounts prior to the second season’s release:
“I always knew that I’d [deactivate] it one day and never even really wanted to have social media in the first place…It wasn’t like this big dramatic thing, but there was an element of it that was thinking about the show coming out for season two. If I just avoid Twitter and Reddit, which now I’m doing, then everything’s totally fine.”
This isn’t the first time a public figure has had to deal with comments related to their appearance––Billie Eilish, Selena Gomez, Lorde, are just a few examples. While many men are also targeted, the pattern seems to be towards women and people who appear feminine. While Ramsey doesn’t identify as female, the character they play does. Hypothetically, if Ellie were Eli, would that change people’s reactions? Likely, yes.
As mentioned, I’m not a veteran TLOU fan. However, I know what good acting looks like. I personally believe that Ramsey is a gooda ctor. A great actor. An incredible actor. So far, their portrayal of Ellie has made me laugh, cry, and made me truly invested in this character. Ramsey is, to me, the perfect person for such a role. I’ve been doing a lot of reiteration, but again, people can have their own opinions on a performance––the issue is when it overlaps into attacking someone’s appearance. To me, this includes people who claim to dislike them simply because “they don’t look like Ellie.” (#NotMyEllie has become a semi-popular hashtag on several platforms).
Ramsey looks human. They look normal, whatever that means. Perhaps when people say otherwise, it’s because they aren’t used to an actor’s natural features, especially when Hollywood’s beauty standards have become unachievable in many ways. Ramsey has also commented on this in a 2023 interview:
"I was told [in] one of my first auditions ever... the director really liked me, but I didn't get the part because I didn't have the 'Hollywood look’…That's something that I've always found very interesting."
This is not just about Ramsey, though they make a good case study. This is about the entertainment industry. This is about the unrealistic expectations viewers now have based on what they see on social media and on their screens. We should celebrate that everyone has a unique face, a unique body, a unique way of existing––that’s what makes humanity so special.
In the end, the people who perpetrate this behavior are trolls. They’re not the ones starring in a critically acclaimed TV show. While they may affect Ramsey, at least to the point of deactivating social media, they’ll never reach the level of success they already have in such a short span of time, at such a young age. They’re jealous. Whenever possible, I encourage you, dear reader, to call them out when you see these sorts of comments. Not just when it’s about Ramsey, but for anyone who is evaluated solely based on their appearance.
- Sincerely, your local Bella Ramsey defender. I can’t wait to see what’s ahead for them.
