The Last of Us star Bella Ramsey was no small name when they were cast as wise-cracking, traumatized teen Ellie. Already part of the massive cast of Game of Thrones, which was their first credit, Ramsey also lent their voice to the Netflix series Hilda as the titular heroine.
However, Ramsey easily became a household name when the HBO adaptation of Naughty Dog’s hit game blew up, averaging over 32 million viewers per an episode by May 2023. Add in a Best Lead Actress in a Drama Series nomination at the Emmys, and the love for Ramsey seems like it’ll never end. So it’s no surprise as Ramsey’s stardom explodes, more people are looking into the origins of the British actor.
Due to the similarities in their name and their British origins, many are curious if famed TV chef and restaurateur Gordon Ramsay has any ties to the actor. Tragically, the two are in fact, not related, in case the difference in their last name didn’t tip you off already.
Scottish turned British
While Gordon Ramsay has resided in England since he was 9 years old, the Michelin star chef was actually born in Scotland in 1966. While originally educated in England, studying hotel management, Ramsay ended up travelling around Europe in his early 20s studying French and Italian cuisine in a variety of roles. Once he returned to London, Ramsay began his career as a head chef at various restaurants in the city, and eventually opening his first, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, in 1998.
Though Bella Ramsey is sadly not one of his 5 kids, Ramsay has a wonderful mix of children, including Tilly, a budding chef looking to follow in her father’s footsteps. Tilly hosted her own cooking show called Matilda and the Ramsay Bunch, where she created meals for her family while on summer holiday. She’ll even appear on the upcoming season of MasterChef Junior as a judge.
Becoming HBO’s favorite actor
Unlike Ramsay, Bella Ramsey has always been British, as they were born in Nottingham and grew up in the surrounding area. From a young age, Ramsey was showing interest in acting, participating in classes at her local Stagecoach Theater Arts school. After 7 years, Ramsey moved on to Television Workshop to begin auditioning for roles.
Before they were even a teenager, Ramsey landed their breakout role in Game of Thrones as Lyanna Mormont, the young head of House Mormont, not unlike their co-star Maisie Williams’ career path. During their time on GoT, Ramsey also led the CBBC adaptation of The Worst Witch in 2017, and showcased their voice acting chops as the titular in Netflix’s Hilda. If their time in GoT didn’t launch them into superstar status however, the announcement of their casting in The Last of Us solidified their international fame.
While both Ramsey and Ramsay have made names for themselves thanks to their talents in their respective fields, unfortunately those bloodline are not as intertwined as people would like. Maybe in an alternate reality, however. That’s our theory.