‘The Last Of Us’ Creators Confirm Bella Ramsey Will Return For Season 2

Actress Bella Ramsey is sticking around for a second season!

Although fans speculated that she might be recast as “The Last Of Us” features a five-year time jump between the two games, showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann revealed that the “Game of Thrones” alum will not be recast and Ramsey will be returning for season 2.

The first season of “The Last Of Us” captured the events of 2013’s video game with some deviations made from the story fans had expected. While season 2 will begin to adapt the events of 2020’s “The Last Of Us Part II,” showrunners Mazin and Druckmann confirmed that there will be some minor and some drastic changes made from the video game to the story.

Despite the changes, Bella Ramsey will be sticking with the show. The showrunners were quick to point out that although Ellie is 14 in the first video game and 19 in the second, Ramsey is 19 in real life, which means that she will be even older once they begin filming season 2.

Ahead of the season finale, the two showrunners sat down with Entertainment Weekly to talk about the fan reaction to the casting process. "One of the things about the casting process that's tough is that we invite people to join us on this process, and we know everything and nobody else knows anything except what they know, which is the game," Mazin explained. "We know what we're gonna do in terms of costume and makeup and hair, but more importantly, we also know the spirit and soul of the actor."

Mazin recalled hearing fans “complaining” that Ramsey was 17 when she was first cast as 14-year-old Ellie. "I think there is still this constant drumbeat of anxiety. All I can say to people is, I have so much anxiety myself about doing a good job on this. Just know I am also very anxious,” he continued. “If you're anxious about something, I'm probably anxious about it, which means we're talking about it and thinking about it."

Although fans might be “anxious” about how the video game story and the HBO adaption will be different, Mazin confirmed that season 2 of “The Last Of Us” will “be different just as this season was different.

“Sometimes it will be different radically, and sometimes it will be [barely] different at all. But it's going to be different and it will be its own thing,” he said. “It won't be exactly like the game. It will be the show that Neil and I want to make. But we are making it with Bella.”

Druckmann also said that they were “incredibly lucky” when they cast Ramsey in the role. "When we made the game, I felt we were incredibly lucky. It was like lightning in the bottle that we found Ashley Johnson and I can't imagine that version of Ellie being anybody else," he said of the actress who played Ellie in the game. "And then somehow we got lightning in the bottle again with Bella."

"The only way we would ever, ever consider re-casting Bella is if she said, 'I don't want to work with you guys anymore,'" he added. "And even then, we're not sure we would grant her that. We might still force her to come back to season 2."

Actress Ashley Johnson, who originated the role of Ellie, told Deadline that she has been “blown away” by watching Bella Ramsey’s interpretation of the character. "It has been such a joy to watch her because she’s so good,” Johnson said. “And I feel like there have been so many scenes that have been elevated because of her capabilities and her talent.”

"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," she continued. "I’m sure there’s pressure for anybody to take on a character that people know well, and I think she’s killed it."

"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,” she added. “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."

No release date for season 2 of "The Last Of Us" has yet to be announced.