You probably remember them as Lyanna Mormont from Game of Thrones or Ellie Williams from The Last of Us, but Bella Ramsey has a much more extensive filmography to their credit, both in film and television, as well as some voice acting.
Isabella May Ramsey was born on September 25, 2003, in Nottingham, UK. They started acting at the early age of four. They attended a professional part-time performing arts school Stagecoach Theatre Arts for seven years, and later continued their training at the Television Workshop. At the same time Bella began auditioning for professional roles.
The role of Lyanna Mormont in the HBO drama Games of Thrones was Ramsey’s first credited role. From their debut appearance in the episode 7 of season 6, The Broken Man, the audience noticed Ramsey’s outstanding performance, and throughout the season they became a fan favourite and was even dubbed “season 6’s breakout star” by critics.
Selected Works in Film
Bella Ramsey’s first role in film was in 2017 when they played Ellie in short film Elefthería. Since then, they have put out several outstanding performances. Let’s take a look at some of the most prominent ones.
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Holmes & Watson (2018)
A comedy take on the famous English detective, this film stars Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly as Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson respectively. The film that deals with the threat to Queen Victoria and Holmes and Watson’s investigation to find their archnemesis professor James Moriarty, was widely blasted by critics. Some went as far as calling it the worst film of 2018. However, Bella Ramsey made her presence felt in the role of the street urchin Flotsam, one of Holmes’ informers.
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Judy (2019)
A biographical drama, Judy revolves around the life of the titular character, famous American entertainer Judy Garland. It is primarily focused on the last year of her life, when the actress relocated to England, but it also switches back and forth to her childhood days, specifically, the period when she filmed The Wizard of Oz. Ramsey appears as Lorna Luft, Garland’s elder daughter from her marriage with Sydney Luft. They played alongside Renée Zellweger who portrays Judy Garland.
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Resistance (2020)
Another biographical drama in Bella Ramsey’s filmography, the film tells the story of Marcel Marceau, famous French mime and actor, and his involvement in the French Resistance during World War II. The film starts with a scene where Nazis kill the entire family of a Jewish girl Elsbeth played by Ramsey. Later Elsbeth flees Nazi Germany with other Jewish orphans with the help of the French Resistance.
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Catherine Called Birdy (2022)
One of Bella Ramsey’s latest appearances on the big screen, Catherine Called Birdy is an adaptation of a 1994 novel of the same name. Set in Medieval England, it tells the story of a young girl who navigates the complications of life and tries to preserve as much freedom as the surroundings would allow her. Starring as the titular Birdy, Ramsey received accolades from critics for bringing a beloved character to life.
Selected Works in TV
For many, Bella Ramsey is a prominent TV actor with several big roles under their belt. Their incredible performance earned them a number of nominations and awards.
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Lyanna Mormont in Game of Thrones
Bella Ramsey was only 13 when they appeared in the HBO drama. Immediately becoming a fan favourite, they stayed on the show until the final season. Being cast for a first credited role in a TV series with millions of viewers all over the world at such a young age wasn’t an easy task to carry out, but Ramsey pulled it off majestically.
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Mildred Hubble in The Worst Witch
This TV adaptation of a children’s novel series stars Ramsey as the main character, Mildred Hubble, who suddenly learned she is a witch and now has to study at a special school. Same as the books, the TV show follows her adventures. Even though Ramsey had to pull out of the last season and the role was recast, they were highly praised for their performance.
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Hilda in Hilda
In 2021 Ramsey was cast for the animated series Hilda, lending her voice to the main heroine. The story follows the adventures of a young girl with blue hair and her friends. After the second season the show was supplemented by a television film Hilda and the Mountain King, where Ramsey voiced the title character again.
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Angelica in His Dark Materials
Bella Ramsey may have appeared only in 6 episodes of this fantasy drama, but they definitely made their presence notable. The plot revolves around an orphan girl named Lyra who lives in an alternative world where people’s souls manifest as their animal companions. The TV show was adapted from books by Philip Pullman.
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Jane Grey in Becoming Elizabeth
This historical drama TV series portrayed the young years of Queen Elizabeth I on her journey to the throne. It starts with Elizabeth as a teenager, with both her parents, Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, dead. Bella Ramsey played the role of Jane Grey, known in the history of Great Britain as the Nine Days’ Queen. Unfortunately, the show was cancelled after the first season.
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Ellie in The Last of Us
Of course, it’s impossible to talk about Bella Ramsey and not mention their role of Ellie in the post-apocalyptic drama series The Last of Us in tandem with Pedro Pascal. While usually movies and TV shows based on video games earn much criticism for poor plot development, The Last of Us quickly became very popular, in many ways thanks to Ramsey and Pascal’s performances.
Awards
Despite having started their acting career relatively recently, Bella Ramsey already has a number of awards and nominations to their name. From the very first first Children’s BAFTA as the Best Young Performer for The Worst Witch to Critics’ Choice Super Awards as Best Actress in a Horror Series, Limited Series or Made-for-TV Movie and Best Actress in a Superhero Series, Limited Series or Made-for-TV Movie for The Last of Us, Bella Ramsey has been nominated for a total of 28 and won 6 awards.
Bella Ramsey Movies and TV Shows: Interesting Facts
- Ramsey was nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series at the 75th Primetime Emmy Award for The Last of Us. They became the first non-binary actor to be nominated for this award.
- Ramsey identifies as non-binary and thinks pronouns “they/them” describe them the best, though, in their own words, they are indifferent as to which pronouns they are addressed with.
- Ramsey is a Christian. They stated their faith helped them in battling anorexia. In 2020, they maintained a YouTube channel and supporting Instagram account called United Hope. Ramsey used this account to share their faith with the audience.
- Ramsey is an ardent vegan and dedicates their efforts to advocate for veganism.
- Besides being a gifted actor, Bella Ramsey plays the guitar and sings.