Bella Ramsey is reflecting on the moment a deeply personal truth became public – a revelation the actor now admits came with unexpected regret.
At just 11 years old, Bella Ramsey landed a role that would change everything. Cast as the fearless Lyanna Mormont – the outspoken 10-year-old leader of House Mormont of Bear Island in HBO’s Game of Thrones – Ramsey quickly made a lasting impression on audiences worldwide.
The Nottingham-born actor was still very new to television when they stepped into the epic fantasy series, but their performance stood out immediately. Lyanna Mormont’s blunt honesty and unwavering confidence made the character unforgettable, even in a show packed with larger-than-life personalities.
Though Ramsey appeared in only a handful of episodes between 2016 and 2019, their scenes consistently became highlights for fans.
‘The Last of Us’
In 2023, Ramsey stepped into an even bigger spotlight when they were cast as Ellie in HBO’s The Last of Us. Set in a world where a deadly fungal outbreak has caused society to collapse, the series follows people struggling to survive in a brutal new reality.
Ellie sits at the center of the story – a teenager whose immunity to the infection could hold the key to saving humanity.
Ramsey’s performance drew widespread praise from critics, many highlighting the emotional depth brought to the role. But as Ramsey’s career continued to rise, the now 22-year-old actor also started revealing deeply personal information.
In 2023, Ramsey publicly shared that they identify as non-binary and genderfluid. In an interview with The New York Times, they explained that “being gendered isn’t something that I particularly like.”
“I guess my gender has always been very fluid. Someone would call me ‘she’ or ‘her’ and I wouldn’t think about it, but I knew that if someone called me ‘he’ it was a bit exciting,” Ramsey said, adding “In terms of pronouns, I really couldn’t care less.”
‘Grew up more as a little boy’
Since then, Ramsey has opened up about feeling uneasy with traditional gender labels.
“Gender and sexuality-wise, labels do not feel comfy for me in any capacity, because I feel like I’m putting myself into a box. I feel trapped,” she said in an interview with British Vogue.
Looking back, Ramsey said those feelings about labels had been there since childhood.
“It was just something that had been very obvious since I was young. I’d always call myself a tomboy, but it wasn’t that I was like a boyish girl,” they explained, per Variety.
“I was always a bit of an in-between, leaning more to the boy’s side to be honest. I feel like I grew up more as a little boy than I did a little girl.”
‘Suddenly had to choose’
But once fame entered the picture, things became more complicated.
In her interview with Vogue, Ramsey acknowledged how difficult it can be to keep personal matters private as a public figure.
“Part of the job of being an actor is that you’re supposed to have an answer to every question that people ask you,” Ramsey said. “But actually, the answer can be, ‘I don’t know and I’m not ready to talk about that,’ and that’s something that I’m still figuring out.”
That pressure became especially clear when The Last of Us began filming.
“It was a question that I had and suddenly I had to choose,” Ramsey explained. “I was so stressed out about it because I didn’t know, and I didn’t really care.”
They also revealed they rejected the term non-binary “for so long” because they didn’t want to be seen as being “trendy.”
Regrets
The admission has left many fans heartbroken, with supporters voicing sympathy for the actor and frustration that the public reaction made such a personal truth feel like something to regret.
Ramsey admitted it hasn’t been easy to process the attention that followed. In a recent interview with the Guardian, the actor reflected on that moment and how it quickly became something much bigger than expected.
“I wish that I didn’t, because I didn’t want it to become a headline and a big thing,” Ramsey said of her coming out as non-binary. “And obviously it was going to, and I didn’t really understand that at the time. And I wasn’t really prepared for that.”
Despite the challenges, Ramsey said the experience has also had positive moments.
“People have said to me that it’s been very helpful for them seeing some representation,” Ramsey said.
“So, it’s been a mixed bag, but overall, I think it was a good thing, just for me living more freely, without feeling like I’m keeping a secret.”
Bella Ramsey’s honesty has sparked a lot of discussion. What are your thoughts about the actor’s confession and reflections? Share your opinion in the comments and pass this story along so more people can weigh in.
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