Ashley Johnson and Bella Ramsey are two actresses who have made a name for themselves in the entertainment industry. Ashley Johnson is best known for her role as Ellie in The Last of Us video game franchise, while Bella Ramsey is known for her role as Lyanna Mormont in the hit HBO series Game of Thrones. But are they related in any way?
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The Short Answer: No
The short answer is no, Ashley Johnson and Bella Ramsey are not related by blood or by marriage. They are two different people who happen to share a common passion for acting and a common character: Ellie.
The Long Answer: They Are Connected by The Last of Us
The long answer is that Ashley Johnson and Bella Ramsey are connected by The Last of Us, the critically acclaimed post-apocalyptic video game series created by Naughty Dog and adapted into a TV show by HBO. Ashley Johnson voiced and motion-captured Ellie in both The Last of Us (2013) and The Last of Us Part II (2020), while Bella Ramsey plays Ellie in the live-action TV show that premiered in 2023.
Ashley Johnson reprised her role as Ellie in the TV show, but not as the main protagonist. Instead, she played Ellie’s mother, Anna, in a flashback sequence that revealed Ellie’s origin story and hinted at the reason behind her immunity to the Cordyceps infection. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Ashley Johnson was offered the role by Neil Druckmann, the creator of the game and the co-showrunner of the TV show, and she accepted it with tears of joy.
Bella Ramsey, on the other hand, was cast as Ellie after an extensive audition process that involved hundreds of young actresses. According to IGN, Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin, the co-showrunners of the TV show, did not want Bella Ramsey to watch or play the game before taking on the role, because they wanted her to bring her own interpretation and personality to it. However, Bella Ramsey did watch some footage of Ashley Johnson’s performance secretly, and she was impressed by it.
The Mutual Respect: They Are Fans of Each Other
Ashley Johnson and Bella Ramsey have expressed their mutual respect and admiration for each other in several interviews. Ashley Johnson praised Bella Ramsey’s portrayal of Ellie as “beautiful”, “elevated” and “blown away” by her talent and skill. She also said that she felt an instant connection with her because they both care so much about the character. She told Deadline:
> “I first met Bella on set and she’s Ellie come to life from the game. She has the essence of Ellie. She has the strength. I instantly felt a connection with her because we both care so much about this character.”
Bella Ramsey also complimented Ashley Johnson’s performance as Ellie as “incredible”, “amazing” and “inspiring”. She also said that she felt honored and grateful to play a character that Ashley Johnson created so brilliantly. She told IGN:
> “I think Ashley did an incredible job with Ellie in the games. She’s amazing. And I’m just really honored to be able to play a character that she created so brilliantly. And I hope that I can do justice to what she did.”
The Conclusion: They Are Not Related, But They Are Friends
Ashley Johnson and Bella Ramsey are not related by blood or by marriage, but they are friends who share a bond over playing the same character in different mediums. They are both talented actresses who have brought Ellie to life in their own unique ways, and they have earned the respect and admiration of fans and critics alike. They are not related, but they are connected by The Last of Us.
