As you may or may not know, HBO’s The Last of Usis based on the critically acclaimed PlayStation game of the same name which was released back in 2013, although the actors that bring life to the lead characters aren’t quite the same as the original work. 

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If you didn’t know that, welcome along – you’re in for a treat and/or emotional rollercoaster, as you may or may not have gleaned from the show’s premiere episode if you’re reading this after it aired. The Last of Us is set in the midst of a post-pandemic apocalypse, following Joel Miller and Ellie Williams as they navigate the dangers of the world after its end.

Ellie is a teenage girl who is immune to the fungal virus that turned the majority of humanity into mindless zombie-like creatures. She is put under the protection of Joel, who is taking her across the country to a group of scientists who may be able to use her blood to develop a cure.

In the original The Last of Us on PlayStation, Ellie was portrayed by actress Ashley Johnson (who, incidentally, you may also remember as the waitress in 2012’s The Avengers). While Johnson is reportedly involved in the HBO adaptation, she has not reprised her lead role, with the powers that be opting for a little more heavy-hitting star power to bring a fresh take on the role she brought to life. So who plays Ellie? 

Ellie Williams’ actress in HBO’s ‘The Last of Us’

Ellie in HBO’s ‘The Last of Us’ adaptation is played by none other than Bella Ramsey, who is best known for her role as Lyanna Mormont in another HBO series you may or may not have heard of, Game of Thrones. 

Her co-star in The Last of Us, Pedro Pascal, also appeared in the George R.R Martin adaptation as Oberyn Martell. Most notably, Ramsey has also played the voice of Hilda in the Netflix animated series of the same name, as well as a starring role in Prime Video’s Catherine Called Birdy. 

Securing the role of Ellie in a live-action adaptation of The Last of Us would be a huge get for any teen/young adult actress, but believe it or not, Ramsey was reluctant to take on the role for fear of becoming too big of a household name. She may have been onto something, considering modders have already brought her likeness into the video game that her role is based on.