Craig Mazin, the showrunner of HBO’s hit post-apocalyptic drama The Final of Us, has pushed again in opposition to a recurring criticism about Bella Ramsey’s character.
The sequence is customized from a success online game franchise, and sees Ramsey, 21, play Ellie, a younger lady who’s resistant to the virus that ravaged human civilisation.
Within the first season of the present, which aired in 2022 and was tailored from the unique 2013 recreation The Final of Us, Ellie is 14 years outdated. By the point of the second recreation and sequence, the character is now 19.
Whereas this time soar brings the character nearer to Ramsey’s real-world age, some followers had claimed that the actor’s youthful look – when in comparison with the character within the unique online game – made them an odd match for the second season.
“Ellie within the recreation seems to be a lot older,” stated Mazin, in a latest interview with The Hollywood Reporter. “Some folks do change fairly dramatically and a few folks don’t.
“I’m not within the bodily facet – though I’ve been taking a look at Bella’s face for years whereas modifying, and I can see that they’ve actually grown. I’m within the emotional maturity, and the change in persona.”
Ramsey, who received widespread acclaim for his or her efficiency within the first season, can be 5ft 1” tall, which required a particular strategy when it got here to the sequence’ struggle scenes, Mazin defined.
“How does a small particular person struggle with a giant particular person? It’s not going to be karate,” he stated. “It’s not going to be superior punches and kicks – they’ll lose.
“The reply is Juujitsu. I watch plenty of jiujitsu and I’ve particularly watched periods the place a small particular person is taking down a giant particular person. That’s how that may occur as a result of no person’s f***ing round on this world.”
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Ramsey’s stature additionally influenced the casting of Dina, Ellie’s love curiosity within the forthcoming second season. Isabella Merced (Alien: Romulus) was finally solid within the position.
“We wished any individual that was this distinction, this daylight, as a result of Ellie is hard and reserved and cautious, and we wished any individual who’s radiating solar,” stated Mazin. “We additionally didn’t need any individual that was 5’9″, as a result of Bella is fairly quick. It’s a type of issues the place it will get somewhat wonky to border [two actors of very different height], or Dina may really feel maternal, like a mother.”
The Final of Us returns on 13 April 2025, and will be watched within the UK on Sky and NOW.
