How did Bella Ramsey get diagnosed with autism? “The Last of Us” star recalls feeling like a “weirdo” and a “loner"

HBO’s The Last of Us, starring Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal, returns in April with a second season. Weeks ahead of the premiere, the actor opened up about their autism diagnosis in an interview published by British Vogue.

In a chat with the magazine, the Game of Thrones actor revealed that they were 18 when they were diagnosed as autistic. At the time, Bella was filming for The Last of Us Season 1 in Canada. They were quoted saying,

“I’ve spoken a bit about neurodivergence before, but I always for some reason didn’t want to… I felt like I didn’t want to say what it was… Shoot. I got diagnosed with autism when I was filming season one of The Last of Us.”

During the shoot, one of the crew members assumed that Ramsey was on the spectrum. According to the actor, the crewperson made the assumption because their daughter was also diagnosed with autism. Bella Ramsey told British Vogue that the incident prompted them to pursue a “formal psychiatric assessment and diagnosis.”

They further proclaimed that it was something that they “always wondered” about, especially as a kid. Ramsey revealed that during their childhood, they used to describe themself as “weirdo” and “loner” and frequently felt out of place at their school. Bella also mentioned being more comfortable around the grownups than their “unpredictable adolescent peers.”

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The Last of Us star, Bella Ramsey, describes the autism diagnosis as “freeing”

The Worst Witch actor has credited their autism as something that “actually improves their craft.” In a chat with British Vogue, Bella Ramsey revealed that their condition makes them constantly observe others. They said,

“I’ve always been watching and learning from people. Having to learn more manually how to socialise and interact with the people around me has helped me with acting.”

Bella has also found their diagnosis as autistic quite liberating. The Catherine Called Birdy star explained,

“[Getting diagnosed is] freeing… It enables me to walk through the world with more grace towards myself about not being able to do the easy everyday tasks that everyone else seems to be able to do.”

During the conversation, Ramsey also talked about being upfront about their condition to people. Talking about being an autistic person makes them more self-confident and, in a way, allows them to “unmask immediately.” Bella Ramsey said,

“My experience of moving through the world is as an autistic person. There’s no reason for people not to know.”

In contrast to talking about autism, Ramsey believes in keeping their gender identity or s**uality more private.

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When will The Last of Us Season 2 premiere?

The first episode of the next iteration of the post-apocalyptic zombie drama will be broadcast on HBO and Max on April 13, 2025. Following the premiere, the subsequent episodes will drop each Sunday until May 25.

The Last of Us Season 2, based on the eponymous Naughty Dog game, will continue the story featuring Joel (portrayed by Pascal) and Ellie (played by Ramsey). The new season will adapt characters and storylines from the second game, which features Abby (played by Kaitlyn Dever in the show) as the primary antagonist.