Bella Ramsey discusses autism diagnosis

Bella Ramsey recently shared insights about their autism diagnosis, revealing that they received the diagnosis while filming the first season of The Last of Us.

In a 2023 interview, Ramsey mentioned they were neurodivergent but had never specified their diagnosis. Speaking to British Vogue, they confirmed, "I got diagnosed with autism when I was filming season one of The Last of Us."

Though they had always suspected they might be autistic, it was a crew member—who had an autistic child—who first made the assumption, prompting Ramsey to seek formal assessment. Reflecting on their childhood, they described themselves as a “weirdo” and a “loner,” often struggling with hyperawareness of people’s expressions and sensory sensitivities. These sensitivities extended into their acting career, particularly when wearing thermals and waterproof gear on set, which they found overwhelming.

Despite these challenges, Ramsey found that their autism provided unexpected strengths in acting. “I’ve always been watching and learning from people,” they explained. “Having to learn social interactions more manually has actually helped me as an actor.” They also shared how structured routines on set bring comfort: “I have a call time, and I’m told what to wear, how to stand, where to stand, and what to eat.”

Calling the diagnosis "freeing," Ramsey expressed that it allows them to navigate life with more self-compassion. However, while they find the autism label helpful, they struggle with labels regarding gender and sexuality, explaining, “Labels do not feel comfy for me in any capacity. I feel like I’m putting myself into a box.”

Unlike their gender and sexuality, which they would have preferred to explore privately, Ramsey embraces sharing their autism diagnosis. “My experience of moving through the world is as an autistic person,” they said. “There’s no reason for people not to know.”