The Last Of Us Star Reveals Struggles With Crippling Disorder
Bella Ramsey, Ellie on The Last of Us, revealed on World Mental Health Day that she struggled with anorexia.
Bella Ramsey, star of the popular HBO Max series The Last of Us, took to Twitter on World Mental Health Day to share her struggle with anorexia nervosa. Ramsey revealed that the eating disorder diagnosis was made last year, but that the condition had affected the young star’s life long before. The admission came in a five-part Twitter thread aimed at encouraging those with their own mental health struggles.
Ramsey relayed that the origin of their eating problem remains a mystery, as it may for many others. The Game of Thrones actor went on to say that the perceived power of an eating disorder can never extinguish hope. “There’s always light at the end of the tunnel no matter how dim it might seem,” Bella Ramsey wrote. “I am fortunate to have reached that light, at moments it felt non existent. But it was always there.”
Bella Ramsey shared that their faith made a huge impact on recovery and encouraged others to break the silence surrounding mental health struggles. Ramsey signed off with this message: “Let’s share our truths because our truths shape who we are and who we become. Happy World Mental Health Day.”
Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder that causes body image distortion, leading those afflicted to needlessly stress about becoming overweight. Those with anorexia may starve themselves or over-exercise in order to keep their body weight low. At only 19 years old, Bella Ramsey has become an instant spokesperson for those battling anorexia nervosa.
Bella Ramsey’s career started on Game of Thrones in 2016. Since then, Ramsey has appeared in a number of film and television projects, including the 2019 Judy Garland biopic Judy and HBO Max fantasy series His Dark Materials. In January of 2023, Ramsey appeared alongside co-star Pedro Pascal in the premiere of highly anticipated series The Last of Us.
Based on the acclaimed video game of the same name, The Last of Us tells the story of Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey), two survivors of a pandemic that has turned people into monsters and the world into an apocalyptic wasteland. Joel must protect Ellie from the horrors of their transformed world, as her blood may contain the only hope humanity has for restoration.
The series was created by the game’s original creator, Neil Druckmann, and Chernobyl creator Craig Mazin. The show kicked off with a bang, putting up big viewership numbers for HBO Max. Anchored by the performances of Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, the show has garnered extremely high ratings from fans and critics.
Pedro Pascal will next be seen in the season three premiere of The Mandalorian, which comes to Disney+ on March 1, 2023. Pascal is also set to appear in the comedy film The Uninvited from writer/director Nadia Conners, and alongside Avatar: The Way of Water actor Jack Champion in the sprawling drama Freaky Tales. Bella Ramsey is slated to star in the upcoming animated film Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget.
Bella Ramsey may face off with monsters on TV, but the young actor showed real world courage in their message to fans about facing mental health struggles. Ramsey’s followers on Twitter responded with gratitude, sparking some to open up about their own mental health battles. Ramey’s goal was to help break the silence around anorexia nervosa and other mental health disorders, and it seems the impact of their words has only just begun.
