Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us blessed video game fans with one of the most heartwarming stories and brilliant characters ever. One such character is Ellie, who never gets to live a normal life as she is born in a world run over by the Cordyceps fungus. The first season of the HBO TV series based on the TLOU video game introduces us to a teenage Ellie, portrayed by Bella Ramsey. Now, as we head into The Last of Us Season 2, let’s find out what age Ellie is in the upcoming installment.
Ellie’s Age in The Last of Us Season 2 Explained
Like the first video game, Ellie was 14 years old in The Last Of Us Season 1. The actor who plays Ellie, aka Bella Ramsey, was 19 years old at the time.
And video game fans might know, the sequel takes place five years after the debut season, so Ellie is 19 years old in The Last of Us Season 2. While in real life, this age gives one the freedom to live without depending too much on others, Ellie doesn’t have all the privileges.
The initial moments of the game take place in 2013, but here’s where HBO’s adaptation stands different; it’s 2003 when the epidemic occurs in the TV series. Now, it makes sense why the main storyline of the HBO show is set in 2023, i.e. the same year it was released. In contrast, the game sees the world in 2033-34.
Due to the Cordyceps virus outbreak, civilization started collapsing in 2003, and Ellie was born sometime in 2009. The creators never revealed her birthdate, though.
At the age of 14, Ellie was just a kid who had no clue of the challenges she would have to face in the future. So, she starts seeing her father in Joel and puts her trust in him with all her heart. However, in the second season, Ellie appears as a warrior who would go beyond her limits to take her revenge and win the game of survival.
Ellie Is Still Too Young to Experience Such Pain
Even though Ellie transforms into a young woman in the second video game and TLOU Season 2, she still doesn’t deserve all the pain she is about to go through. While people her age in real life are able to make choices for their future, Ellie walks on a different path, which is full of life-threatening challenges.
In the game, she also experiences her biggest trauma, changing her life forever, and she becomes a fearless woman who won’t spare those who wronged her.
How Old Is Bella Ramsey Right Now?
At the time of writing in 2025, Bella Ramsey is 21 years old. But she was 19 years old during the filming of TLOU Season 2, which makes their age true to the character. However, Ellie in the video game is much more mature in appearance than Bella Ramsey’s Ellie, so it eventually became a topic of argument among the fandom.
However, the show’s creator Craig Mazin, while talking to THR, revealed that he doesn’t agree with the fact that Bella Ramsey looks younger than Ellie in the video games. He adds that apart from the change in appearance, he wanted the character to radiate emotional maturity, and Bella does exactly the same. He also says that he has been looking at Bella’s face while editing the series, so he has seen them grow over the years.
Well, the Ellie who appears in the video games is a tough warrior and fights the strongest human enemies, as well as the infected. Her hands are full of scars, and as the story progresses, she keeps getting more cuts and bite marks on her body. So, it would have been one of the most challenging roles of Bella’s career, and as the trailer showcases, they have nailed it with their talent.
However, let’s not judge the book by its cover, as the first episode of The Last of Us Season 2 is soon approaching, premiering on April 13, 2025, at 6:00 PM PT.
Source: Beebom
