After watching the acting tour de force that was Bella Ramsey in The Last of Us, I did what any normal person would do: I went on a joyous deep dive through their filmography. I absolutely love Ramsey, you see, and all the more so because they’re from my neck of the woods. (More on that later!) They’ve appeared in some truly amazing works—oh, and also Holmes & Watson. I did not watch that one. But I watched as many of Ramsey’s shows and movies as I could, and though ranking their performances isn’t an easy task—because they really are that talented—I gave it a go! Without further ado, here are Bella Ramsey’s 10 best movie and TV roles.
(Note: This article uses they/them pronouns for Ramsey, who is non-binary, but she/her for their characters.)
10. The Worst Witch
I’m not the target audience for this cute little show about a girl in witch school, but I appreciated the then-14-year-old Ramsey’s winning performance as main character Mildred Hubble. Ramsey did leave before the end of The Worst Witch (their character was recast), and they’ve been open about the reason why. Mental health comes first, and it’s important that child actors are allowed to cut and run when they need to.
9. Hilda
I’m probably not the target audience for this show either, but it’s so sweet and pretty! In Hilda, Ramsey provides the voice of the eponymous blue-haired nature-lover who adventures through a magical world of Scandinavian folklore and learns important life lessons.
There should be one more season of Hilda coming up in the future, though it’s unknown whether Ramsey will return for it.
8. Judy
Man, there is a lot of acting talent in Judy. Ramsey isn’t exactly front and center in this film—they play the part of Judy Garland’s young daughter Lorna Luft—but the small role is another one that catapulted them into even bigger and better things. Also, Ramsey got to go to the premiere in this kickass bejeweled dress with—wait for it—SNEAKERS.
7. Resistance
Ramsey starred as a young girl called Elsbeth in this underrated film about the life of famous mime Marcel Marceau and his plan to save Jewish children from the Nazis. When it came out in 2020 Ramsey wrote on Twitter, “It’s a vitally important film; heart wrenching but beautifully hopeful. The best experience of my life.” Resistance got mixed reviews admittedly but it’s still a must-watch for Ramsey fans.
6. His Dark Materials
Ramsey had a teeny-tiny role in season 2 of the hit fantasy show His Dark Materials, and they absolutely stole every scene they were in. Ramsey played Angelica, a vicious but vulnerable street kid who has a run-in with Dafne Keen’s Lyra and Amir Wilson’s Will. Watch the scene in “The Scholar” where she realizes what’s happened to her older brother, and you’ll definitely see Ellie Williams in there.
5. Becoming Elizabeth
Hey, remember when I said Ramsey was from my neck of the woods? They’re from the East Midlands, and in Becoming Elizabeth they play Lady Jane Grey, the Nine Days Queen who was (probably) born just down the road from my own place of residence! I’ve always been fascinated by Lady Jane and her fate, so getting to see Ramsey play her in this Starz series was a real treat for me. Sadly, there was never a second season of Becoming Elizabeth, despite season 1 ending on a cliffhanger. History books can tell you the rest, though, I suppose.
4. Catherine Called Birdy
This movie has a cast to die for. In addition to Bella Ramsey, you get Billie Piper! Andrew Scott! Sophie Okonedo! The plot of Catherine Called Birdy is somewhat thin, but Ramsey gets a chance to show off their comedy chops—which are considerable—and have a little fun in a medieval world. Speaking with Teen Vogue, Ramsey described their experience on Catherine Called Birdy as “a good reminder for me that it’s okay for you to not fit into the mold,” and that seems to be something all Ramsey’s characters have in common: they’re mold-breakers.
Ramsey was nominated for a Critics’ Choice Movie Award for Best Young Performer for their performance as Birdy, and though they didn’t win, I’m willing to bet we’ll see A LOT of actual wins in their future.
3. Requiem
Requiem features another Ramsey performance where you can clearly see the roots of Ellie Williams, even though the character is very different. Requiem is a short film about Evelyn, a young woman in 1600s England who falls in love with another woman against the backdrop of the infamous Witch Trials. You can watch it for free on YouTube if you like! Be warned: it’s saddening.
2. Game of Thrones
The show that gave Ramsey their breakout role as Lady Lyanna Mormont! Yes, no one has particularly nice things to say about the last few seasons of Game of Thrones, but credit where credit’s due: Ramsey was the perfect casting choice for the young Lady of Bear Island. And it was that experience that gave them the acting bug, too, as they told Metro UK in an interview:
Suddenly, I was thrown into this world of film and TV that I’d never even imagined that I’d be in.
It’s not like I didn’t want to. It’s just that I hadn’t even thought of it. I was always acting at home, but I’d never even kind of considered it as a career. I was very, very fortunate.
I don’t say this often, but: thank you, Game of Thrones!
1. The Last of Us
WHAT A SHOW, and WHAT A PERFORMANCE from Ramsey! If you’ve somehow managed to avoid the Last of Us mania that’s infected the entire internet since it first came out, this show is pretty conclusively the greatest video game adaption of all time. And a big part of that has to do with the love, the rage, and the agonizing near-innocence that Ramsey brings to Ellie. I can’t wait for season 2 to develop Ramsey’s character even further—and explore the horrifying depths to which she can descend.
(featured image: HBO / Amazon Studios)
