The mood is immediately frolicsome.
At this, they leap from the bale, wrapping their legs around a rope swing.
Luckily, they stick the landing gracefully.
Photo: Getty Images
they enthuse breathlessly, happily brushing some errant hay off their faded black Adidas sweatshirt.
It certainly fits their vibe.
Look for the tiny red car, theyd instructed me on text.
Pedro Pescal and Bella Ramsey in season one ofThe Last of Us.
This, they say drolly after accidentally drifting into the wrong lane, is the roundabout I failed on.
Although dont be entirely fooled.
Ramsey likes it for this reason.
Ramsey in Thom Browne at the 2023 Met Gala.
Hey, little guy, they whisper as they stroke the quivering bunny.
In many ways, Ramsey is an archetype of their generation: empathetic, prone to abstemiousness.
One could argue they also present a new kind of hope.
Ramsey in season two ofThe Last of Us.
Its the golden age of America!
they splutter, sarcastically, of Donald Trumps election.
they mutter, more angrily.
Its terrifying, actuallyhow ishein power?
This weekend,The Last of Usits post-apocalyptic setting freshly relevantwill return for its second season.
Pedro Pescal and Bella Ramsey in season one ofThe Last of Us.
Bella is a soul partner at work and in life, their co-lead Pedro Pascal confirms.
these days, however, will test that relationship to its extremes.
[Theyre] the most empathetic actor Ive worked with, he tells me.
Today, Pascal is saved in Ramseys phone as Pedge (I hate calling him Pedro.
It feels so formal).
They even give each other fashion advice.
Femme, mascRamseys approach to style shrugs and says: Who cares?Thisis what I feel comfortable in.
Ramsey in Thom Browne at the 2023 Met Gala.
Loyal, Immediato says instantly when I ask him how he would describe Ramsey.
Ramsey kept calling and texting to check in.
They wanted to see how I was, he says, still touched.
It makes me love them even more.
[They have] that ability to shapeshift and become new in front of your very eyes.
They have a quality that is both modern and totally timeless, she tells me.
Theyd fit as easily at a rave in Dalston as in a Renaissance court.
At the climactic moment, they would split apart and run up the aisles of the theater.
Eight was definitely my favorite yearthats when I peaked, they deadpan.
Its all been downhill since then.
Samantha Morton, Felicity Jones, and Vicky McClure have all progressed through its ranks.
The performance is always absolutely honest.
There are no tricks, just utter commitment to a role.
It was a freezing cold Sunday morning, but they were there, she says.
Thats the real Bella.
I was in this role of responsibility at age 12.
It was an enormous weight on their pre-teen shoulders and they turned inward from the stress.
When their parents FaceTimed them during shooting, they barely recognized their silent, closed-off child.
After the first season wrapped, Ramsey developed anorexia for a couple of years.
While seeking treatment, their counselor told them to visualize their ED as an external part of themselves.
On the subject of routines, Ramsey is a big fan.
I felt like I didnt want to say what it was…Shoot.
It confirmed something that Ramsey had always wondered about.
Their autism, they point out, actually improves their craft.
Ive always been watching and learning from people.
They describe the diagnosis as freeing…
They did, however, recently watch Luca GuadagninosCall Me by Your Nameon a plane.
It became a special interest, for sure, they say.
I couldnt stop thinking about itI wrote a song about it.
Its so crazy how much loving something can hurtbecauseof how much you love it.
Ramsey in season two ofThe Last of Us.
There are elements to being an actor that they dont entirely lovethe glare of public scrutiny, for one.
Ever the professional, Ramsey draws it back to work.
I would always call myself a tomboy growing up, they say today.
My Club Penguin name was Tomboy Bella.
Theyre still figuring out how they feel about coming out so young.
They compare this with their autism diagnosis.
you’ve got the option to just be, and be proud.
Thats a privilege I dont really get any more.
My experience of moving through the world is as an autistic person, they say.
Theres no reason for people not to know.
Its an assured statement from someone just entering their 20s.
Im drawn back to their friend Pascals wordsRamseyisstill in the early chapters of their life.
Theres a watchfulness to them, and a grit.
At one point, they surprise me with the statement: You cant be an ethical billionaire.
(Were discussing the state of the world, which we both agree isnot good.)
But now Ive thought about it.
If youve acquired enough wealth to be a billionaire, youre not giving enough of it away.
On the set ofCatherine Called Birdy, Dunham recalls, Ramsey acquired the nickname Beter Ban.
Ramsey turned 21 in September and spent it with their family.
They were coming off the back of 15-hour shoot days and were desperate to be home.
I dont have a friend group.
I never have, they tell me.
Fame has changed things too.
The idea of going out celebrating with friends just isnt really something that I can do.
So what happens when an old soul turns 25, then 30, I ask?
Maybe Ill just be ancient, they shoot back.
I think getting old will be interesting, especially as someone outside of the gender binary.
Im kind of curious as to how thats gonna go.
The Last of Uswill air on HBO Max from April 13.
