Bella Ramsey opens up on autism diagnosis on sets during making of ‘The Last Of Us’

WASHINGTON: Bella Ramsey, who is known for her role in ‘The Last Of Us’, revealed that she was diagnosed with autism on the sets of the HBO drama series during its first season, reported Variety.

In an interview with British Vogue magazine, as quoted by Variety, Ramsey said that her diagnosis of autism came after a crew member of the series pointed out the symptoms of this brain disorder condition in her.

“I’ve spoken a bit about neurodivergence before, but I always for some reason didn’t want to say what it was. I got diagnosed with autism when I was filming season one of ‘The Last of Us’,” said Ramsey as quoted by Variety.

According to Ramsey, a member of the crew with an autistic daughter assumed Ramsey had it too, which prompted them to eventually seek out a formal psychiatric assessment and diagnosis.

Bella Ramsey got diagnosed with autism after a crew member on “The Last of Us” spotted the signs.

The crew member has an autistic daughter and assumed Ramsey had it, which prompted the actor to seek out a formal psychiatric assessment and diagnosis. Ramsey described feeling like… pic.twitter.com/tZr2iQMzeY

— Variety (@Variety) March 20, 2025

As per Variety, the ‘Last Of Us’ actress described feeling like a ‘weirdo’ and a ‘loner’, admitting autism was something she had always wondered about.

Sharing her condition, Ramsey said that she experiences sensory issues common to people on the spectrum and expressed “painful hyperawareness of other people’s micro-expressions and body language.”

“I’ve always been watching and learning from people. Having to learn more manually how to socialise and interact with the people around me has helped me with acting.” Ramsey said being on set helps them set a daily routine: “I have a call time, and I’m told what to wear, how to stand, where to stand and what to eat.”

The makers recently unveiled the first official trailer of the highly anticipated season, giving fans a glimpse of what’s to come, which will feature intense action, new characters, and dangerous threats.

The trailer begins with Ellie (Bella Ramsey) sneaking through an abandoned building, looking tense as she moves carefully over broken glass. A dog can be seen in the background, and the scene quickly shifts to a mysterious graveyard with wooden crosses draped in medallions.

Joel (Pedro Pascal) is then shown travelling with Ellie through a forest. He checks on her, asking, “You OK?” to which Ellie replies, “Yeah,” though she appears troubled.

‘The Last of Us’ returns April 13 for Season 2 on HBO. (ANI)