The Last of Us star Bella Ramsey recently revealed how she reacted to fan toxicity over her casting as Ellie in the upcoming HBO video game adaptation.

Ramsey opened up about how she responded to the extreme fan backlash after she landed the Ellie role in an interview with the New York Times. "It's the first time I've ever had a negative reaction to something," she said. "There would be times I'd find it funny. Then I'd get to the end of a 10-minute scrolling session, put my phone down and realize: Maybe that was a bad idea."

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The Last of Us showrunner Craig Mazin recalled how difficult it was to find the show's Ellie in a recent interview. Mazin said that the production auditioned over 100 prospective candidates before settling on Ramsey, noting that the part required a performer possessed of an uncommon blend of qualities. "[W]e’re looking for a child, or somebody that can convincingly portray a child, who has this preternatural wisdom with this impossible combination of youth and experience," he said. "Plus, she needs to be funny, tough, violent and protective of herself. She also needs to make us believe that she’s going to have this connection with [protagonist] Joel, so it took longer."

Neil Druckmann Talks Casting Ellie

According to The Last of Us co-creator Neil Druckmann, who also co-directed the original game, Ramsey wasn't the only Game of Thrones veteran considered for the Ellie role. Druckmann recently confirmed that he met with Maisie Williams back when The Last of Us was still being developed as a feature film. He also said that Booksmart's Kaitlyn Dever was in the frame at one point, too, and even took part in a table read. Both Williams and Dever ultimately aged out of the role, though, and Mazin and Druckmann hired Ramsey after being impressed by her audition tape. "It was like Ellie realized in live action. It didn't feel like watching an actor," Druckmann said.

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While Druckmann is full of praise for how fully Ramsey's audition embodied Ellie's essence, Ramsey recently confessed she only became comfortable swearing after securing the part. The star credited the Ellie role with teaching her how to curse, something she said she was now proficient at doing. Ramsey added that Ellie's appreciation of both puns and profanity helped her identify with The Last of Us' lead female character.

The Last of Us premieres Jan. 15, 2023, on HBO and HBO Max.

Source: NYT