‘The Last of Us’ Stars Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey Feel ‘Protective’ of One Another
The Last of Us is HBO Max’s hottest new series. The apocalyptic drama, based on the video game of the same name, follows Joel, a smuggler who has weathered great tragedy in order to survive, and his journey to get a young girl named Ellie to safety. The series stars Pedro Pascal as Joel and Bella Ramsey as Ellie, two stars who are no strangers to popular fandoms. The Last of Us is a whole different animal for Pascal and Ramsey. And as the two actors revealed in a recent panel interview, working so closely with each other over a one-year period allowed them to form a tight bond.
‘The Last of Us’ follows the journey of two apocalypse survivors
The very first HBO series based on a video game, The Last of Us has a lot of anticipation and expectation riding on it. Many fans weren’t sure if the series would live up to the intense scrutiny. Fortunately, with the recent debut of the first episode of the first season, The Last of Us blew critics out of the water. The first episode received rave reviews from critics and fans, with many praising the performances of Pascal and Ramsey.
As Joel and Ellie, Pascal and Ramsey inhabit their characters effortlessly. Pascal manages to convey Joel’s world-weariness and PTSD, as well as his determination to take care of his younger brother, who has maintained his desire for a better world. As Ellie, Ramsey brings fierceness and tenacity to the table, proving that she hasn’t lost any of the charm and magnetism that impressed viewers in Game of Thrones, where she played young Lady Mormont.
What did Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey say about their bond?
Pascal and Ramsey were strangers when they met on the set of The Last of Us. But it didn’t take long for the two stars to form a bond. As they revealed in a recent panel interview, they jumped into filming in Alberta, Canada, establishing their relationship along the way. “We were stepping into this experience at the same time…there was an immediate bond,” Pascal revealed, noting that he and Ramsey grew to feel very “protective” of each other.
In a separate interview with Complex, Ramsey affirmed this. “Our friendship and relationship progressed as Joel and Ellie’s did, which I think actually lent itself to the result of their relationship,” she said. “We immediately liked each other; we were just shy of each other…Turns out we do quite like each other.”
Bella Ramsey admitted that Ellie is her ‘best character’
Even as they embraced their growing friendship, Pascal and Ramsey thoroughly stepped into their roles. In the panel interview, Ramsey revealed that it felt like Ellie was part of her already right from the first audition tape. Although she acknowledged that her portrayal of Ellie might be a bit different than the character in the game, Ramsey expressed her genuine love for Ellie and noted that she hopes fans find a lot to love – both in the show and in her characterization.
“She’s been the best character that I’ve gotten to play,” Ramsey said. “I hope to continue to play her if enough people watch the show and we get more seasons.” The actor even admitted that she would be on board to play Ellie “forever,” if given the opportunity. Fans who want to catch Pascal and Ramsey’s performances can watch the first episode of The Last of Us, which is currently available to stream on HBO Max.
