Bella Ramsey talks about role in 'The Last of Us' season 3 and Neil Druckmann's exit
Based on the seminal action-adventure video game developed by Bruce Straley and Neil Druckmann (more on him in a minute!) for Naughty Dog, the survivalist drama has been thus far following the harrowing journey of Ellie Williams (Bella Ramsey), an orphaned teenage girl who discovered she was immune from the zombie-forming Cordyceps brain infection that had devastated mankind around her.
However, for the show's third installment, protagonist duties will instead be filled by Bella's rival Abby Anderson (played by Kaitlyn Dever), the former Firefly and surgeon's daughter who brutally exacted revenge against Ellie's father figure, Joel Miller (Pedro Pascal), in 'TLOU' season 2.
The third season will rewind from that explosive confrontation and show how Abby and the Washington Liberation Front got to that game-changing moment.
As for relinquishing their main character energy for the upcoming season, series star Bella Ramsey discussed the changes on a July 2025 episode of the Variety Awards Circuit podcast. They said of her character's involvement in the new episodes: 'I sort of know, but I can't tell you, I'm afraid.'
Ramsey was a bit more forthcoming discussing behind-the-scenes change-ups for season 3, the most notable being the already announced exit of 'The Last of Us' game creator and series executive producer Neil Druckmann.
'The world of 'The Last of Us' is his creation, and so his voice and creative input. It doesn't just go away in season 3 because he's not as actively involved,' the actor said of Druckmann's departure. 'It will always be his creation. And we're always in everything that we do, honoring the game and Neil's creation. He'll definitely be missed on set. But his spirit is the story.'
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Druckmann explained his exit in a statement earlier this month: 'I've made the difficult decision to step away from my creative involvement in 'The Last of Us' on HBO. With work completed on season 2 and before any meaningful work starts on season 3, now is the right time for me to transition my complete focus to Naughty Dog and its future projects, including writing and directing our exciting next game, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, along with my responsibilities as Studio Head and Head of Creative.'
Continued Druckmann: 'Co-creating the show has been a career highlight. It's been an honor to work alongside Craig Mazin to executive produce, direct and write on the last two seasons. I'm deeply thankful of the thoughtful approach and dedication the talented cast and crew took to adapting The Last of Us Part I and their continued adaptation of The Last of Us Part II. I look forward to HBO and PlayStation Productions continuing Ellie and Abby's story next season.'
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Tom's Guide
2 hours ago
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How to watch 'Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Buffalo Bills' online and on TV
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You can try it risk-free for 30 days if you take advantage of NordVPN's no-quibble money-back guarantee. NordVPN deal: FREE $50 / £50 Amazon gift card Boasting lightning fast speeds, great features, streaming power, and class-leading security, NordVPN is our #1 VPN. ✅ FREE Amazon gift card worth up to $50/£50✅ 4 months extra FREE!✅ 76% off usual price Use Nord to unblock Max and watch "Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Buffalo Bills" online with our exclusive deal. Using a VPN is incredibly simple. 1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, NordVPN is our favorite. 2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance, if you're visiting the U.K. and want to view a U.S. service, you'd select a U.S. server from the location list. 3. Sit back and enjoy the show. Head to your streaming service app — so Max, for example — and watch "Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Buffalo Bills" online from wherever you are in the world. 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New York Times
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Cook arrived smiling, declared he wanted to be a good teammate and fully participated in the first eight practices. He very well might be back on the field Monday morning. This is as scandalous as the Bills have gotten. 'Hark Knocks: Training Camp with the Buffalo Bills' producers must've been thrilled to stumble into decent material in time for Tuesday night's debut episode of HBO's reality sports series. Until Sunday, it appeared Cook wouldn't exploit the opportunity as some expected. I asked Bills general manager Brandon Beane and coach Sean McDermott for their visceral reaction to the idea that their team is dull. Beane pumped both fists. A wide smile crossed McDermott's face. 'Isn't it hard enough to be successful without nonsense getting in the way?' McDermott said. 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USA Today
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