The Last of Us boss addresses criticism that Bella Ramsey looks too young to play Ellie in season 2

3 April 2025, 15:17

The Last of Us' Craig Mazin addresses complaints that Bella Ramsey doesn't look old enough to play Ellie in season 2. Picture: HBO

By Katie Louise Smith

Bella Ramsey is 21 years old but some fans don't think they look old enough to portray Ellie after the 5 year time jump.

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The Last of Us season 2 is almost upon us and just the like the original game, the new season will open with a 5 year time jump.

When it was confirmed that Bella Ramsey would reprise the role of Ellie in season 2, some fans were concerned they wouldn't look "bigger", "stronger" and "old enough" to account for the jump within the story's timeline.

Bella was 17 when they portrayed 14-year-old Ellie in season 1, and is now 21 playing a 19-year-old Ellie.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, co-showrunner Craig Mazin has now defended Bella's casting and responded to claims that they look too young to portray Ellie after the time jump.

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Bella Ramsey returns as Ellie in The Last of Us season 2. Picture: HBO

How old is Bella Ramsey? How old is Ellie in The Last of Us season 2?

Discussing the ongoing debate around the whole thing, Craig said: "I understand the difficulty that some people have where they say, 'She looked like she was 14 in season 1. She still looks roughly the same to us, even though now she’s 19.' Ellie in the game looks much older. Some people do change quite dramatically and some people don’t."

Ultimately, the TV show will take a different approach with Ellie's development during those five years.

"I’m not interested in the physical aspect — although I’ve been looking at Bella’s face for years while editing, and I can see that she’s certainly grown."

"I’m interested in the emotional maturity, and the change in personality," he continued. "I’ve watched Bella grow and become independent and start to find her own two feet separate and apart from her parents, who are amazing — 'How do I figure out how to be my own person now and test that full independence?' And I feel that in Ellie completely."

He added: "So I understand where people are coming from, but when they watch this year, I think they’re going to see the difference."

Ellie is 5 years older and looks bigger and bulkier in The Last of Us Part II. Picture: Naughty Dog/Sony

The Last of Us season 2 is set to premiere on Sunday April 13th and will consist of seven episodes.

The storyline is still under wraps so it's unclear just how much of Part II it will cover. It's already been confirmed that several more seasons will be made in order to do justice to the expansive storyline from the second game.