Bella Ramsey is reflecting on coming out.
The 21-year-old actor who stars in The Last of Us came out as non-binary and gender-fluid in 2023.
After coming out, Ramsey was met with backlash and during a recent interview, they are now reflecting on the choice to speak publicly about their gender identity.
The star, who rose to fame on Game of Thrones, said they sometimes look back and regret their decision.
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“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,” Ramsey told The Guardian.
“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.”
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They added that the decision to speak openly has ultimately been freeing: “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.
"But now I’m like, ‘I’ll talk about it, but I don’t want it to be the focus anymore.’ I guess I’m just quite chill with it. And I want everyone else to be as chill with it basically.”
Ramsey has also opened up about their autism diagnosis, after suffering with feeling out of place as a child.
They spoke about recognising they had the condition while on set for season one of The Last of Us .
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Speaking with British Vogue, the actor noted that they felt 'free' upon learning about the neuro-developmental condition.
The star told the publication: "It enables me to walk through the world with more grace towards myself about not being able to do the easy everyday tasks that everyone else seems to be able to do."
The NHS notes that while there are common symptoms of autism, such as difficulty communicating, empathising, getting overwhelmed easily, and doing the same things over and over, as it is a spectrum disorder, it can look very different in each person.
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Ramsey said: "I’ve always been watching and learning from people.
"Having to learn more manually how to socialise and interact with the people around me has helped me with acting."
They did admit that they had 'always wondered' about autism and whether it affected their life, and cited experiences of feeling like a 'loner' and a 'weirdo' growing up.
They finally received answers after a crew member working on The Last of Us, whose daughter has autism, advised the actor to get a formal psychiatric assessment.
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"My experience of moving through the world is as an autistic person,” Ramsey shared.
"There’s no reason for people not to know."
Topics: Celebrity
Gregory Robinson