Bella Ramsey shot to fame with her role of Lyanna Mormont on Game of Thrones.
Since then, the actress has appeared on shows like The Worst Witch and His Dark Materials.
She’s also attached to co-star on HBO’s adaptation of The Last of Us, which is on tap for an early 2023 bow.
Currently, Ramsey can be seen on the Starz drama Becoming Elizabeth, where she plays the role of Jane Grey.
Bella said the big attraction to the series for her was getting to play this role because she was familiar with Jane.
“She literally lived like 15 minutes down the road from where I lived. That was just super cool to kind of play this local celebrity really,” Ramsey tells TV Fanatic.
“I think she’s portrayed in history books as this meek, mild, obedient young Protestant.”
“That’s definitely part of her personality, but that’s not the only part of her personality.”
“I also think she’s very aware and incredibly intelligent.”
“I’m still toying with how much she is aware of the plots and schemes around her that involve her. But I think she is aware, and she’s not necessarily opposed to it.”
“There are definitely layers to her that I think a lot of history books have missed out on,” Ramsey added.
The series launched to solid reviews, and Bella believes the characters are “relatable, and still relevant today.”
“All the things that they experienced are still relevant today, so I think that’s why people have connected with it.”
“I also think it’s such an immersive show. It was immersive to film, and it’s also immersive to watch that you very much feel like you’re there with them with the way the camera angled in on the emotions of people.”
Bella says that her entrance into the acting world was a bit of a blur.
She described Game of Thrones as a “happy accident.”
“I got the audition and then got the part, and then suddenly I was an actor, which was very strange.”
The star said it was important to choose roles that interested her.
“I think there’s so much content being created, and because there’s so much demand for it and so much drive for it, I do feel like sometimes, the quality and the stories aren’t as developed and interesting as they could be,” Ramsey shared.
“I made it my thing really that I’ll only do projects that are interesting to me. It doesn’t matter how big or small they are, as long as they’re interesting,” the star added.
“If they’ve got multilayered, developed characters and an interesting story, I’m pretty much in.”
Bella said that Becoming Elizabeth, which wraps its first season early next month, finds Jane coming into her own.
“She isn’t afraid to voice her opinions about people.”
She says viewers should expect much more plotting as the season winds down.
“I suppose people get what’s coming to them.”
Becoming Elizabeth airs Sundays on Starz.
Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.
