Ashley Johnson on Bella Ramsey’s Ellie: “It has been such a joy to watch her”

The HBO adaptation of the Naughty Dog video game The Last of Us successfully completed its first season, and it was a roaring success. It was also a symbolic passing over of baton, from old Ellie to new, as Ashley Johnson, who played the character in the game, made an appearance as Anna, Bella Ramsey’s Ellie’s mom, in the finale. She recently talked about how she felt about Ramsey’s portrayal.

What does Ashley Johnson think about Bella Ramsey’s portrayal of Ellie?

In an interview with Deadline, Johnson opened up on watching Ramsey play her character on The Last of Us, “Yeah, it has been such a joy to watch her because she’s so good. And I feel like there’s been so many scenes that have been elevated because of her capabilities and her talent. And it’s also, she was exploring sides of her that will make sense for Season 2 because where the second game goes is even darker and heavier. It’s hard to watch because I’m watching these characters — Pedro [Pascal] and Bella’s version of these characters — and falling in love with them.”

“And it’s heartbreaking because I know that life doesn’t get better for them, and she is just so beautiful to watch because even in just these subtle moments, there’s so much going on. And I feel like there’s been so many moments and scenes where Ellie’s been able to stick up for herself or say things that didn’t happen in the game that feel good for me to watch.”

Ashley Johnson is looking forward to seeing Bella Ramsey in The Last of Us Season 2

Johnson further expressed her excitement by saying, “I’m blown away by what she’s done, and I’m so excited for her to have a space to make this character her own and to put her own imprint on it, in addition to bringing a character to life that she’s excited about and telling the story that she wants to tell within the character. And I’m sure there’s pressure for anybody to take on a character that people know well, and I think she’s killed it.”

How much time will it take to film The Last of Us Season 2?

The Last of Us showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann recently chatted with GQ Magazine after the finale of Season 1 aired on Sunday and talked about the upcoming season and the cliffhanger finale. They hinted that the second season was going to take at least two years to film, with Mazin teasing the fans saying, “I’m okay with that. That’s the anger of desire and anticipation.”

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