Bella Ramsey has discussed their experience of coming out as non-binary, admitting to having some regrets about making it public. At the age of 19, the British actor revealed their genderfluid identity during the promotion of The Last of Us in January 2023. This announcement brought them face-to-face with the darker side of online interactions.
Now, two years later, the 21-year-old reflects on a topic they never intended to dominate headlines, coinciding with the arrival of The Last of Us season two, which airs Sundays at 9pm ET on HBO.
In a conversation with The Guardian, Ramsey was asked to reflect on their feelings about coming out publicly in the way they did. They stated, “Part of me looks back and I wish that I didn’t, because I didn’t want it to become a headline and a big thing.”
They continued, “And obviously it was going to, and I didn’t really understand that at the time. And I wasn’t really prepared for that. But on the other hand, people have said to me that it’s been very helpful for them seeing some representation.”
Despite initial mixed feelings, Ramsey believes the decision was ultimately beneficial. “So it’s been a mixed bag, but overall, I think it was a good thing, just for me living more freely, without feeling like I’m keeping a secret.”
Ramsey’s perspective has evolved, as they express a desire to move beyond discussions of gender and sexual orientation, preferring to focus on other subjects. “But now I’m like, ‘I’ll talk about it, but I don’t want it to be the focus any more.’ I guess I’m just quite chill with it. And I want everyone else to be as chill with it basically.”
Recently, Ramsey, originally from Nottingham, England, chose to deactivate their Instagram account. This decision was inspired by Kit Harrington, their Game of Thrones co-star, and Jesse Eisenberg, with whom they worked on Resistance. Ramsey explained, “Those are the two actors who I just thought were the coolest people to ever walk the earth, and neither of them had social media.”
Ramsey admired them for being “so normal and funny and interesting,” adding, “They were famous because they were great at something, not because they were celebrities. They never pushed themselves out there and made themselves more famous.”
They acknowledged that their Instagram presence began as a response to numerous fake profiles impersonating them.
For those who have been impacted by these matters and wish to seek confidential support, the LGBT national hotline is available at 888-843-4564, operating Monday to Friday from 4pm-12am ET and on Saturdays from 12pm-5pm ET.