You haven’t seen the last of Bella Ramsey. The 19-year-old The Last of Us star, who played 14-year-old Ellie Williams opposite Pedro Pascal in the hit HBO adaptation of the PlayStation video game, has booked their next role in the period drama film Monstrous Beauty. (Ramsey self-identifies as non-binary and prefers they/them pronouns.) Ramsey’s role in the new film from Atonement and The Hour star Romola Garai is their latest high-profile project after HBO’s The Last of Us and Game of Thrones, where Ramsey played the young Lady Lyanna Mormont of Bear Island between seasons 6-8 of the fantasy drama series.
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Ramsey will star as Barbara Field, an aspiring playwright born with a rare condition that means she is entirely covered in hair, according to Deadline. Monstrous Beauty marks Ramsey’s first film role since the Lena Dunham-directed medieval comedy Catherine Called Birdy.
The official logline: “Set in the 17th Century, Monstrous Beauty is the story of aunique young woman, Barbara Field (Ramsey), born into poverty with arare condition that means she is entirely covered in hair. Given theprecious gift of an education, she is offered the opportunity of a placein the luxurious and decadent court of King Charles II (The Crown‘s Dominic West), as a ‘Natural Wonder’ where people with extraordinary appearances mix withthe aristocracy.
“Fueled by the desire to be defined for who she is rather than how shelooks, Barbara aspires to become a playwright under the auspices offamous actress Nell Gwyn (Loving‘s Ruth Negga), powerful mistress to the King. Nellherself is intent on teaching Charles a public lesson on the trueappreciation of women beyond their physical appearance. Barbara seeksthe help of famous playwright of the day, Aphra Behn (Killing Eve‘s Fiona Shaw), and castsbeautiful actor Vale (the object of Barbara’s own desire) as the lead,despite his lack of talent. But will Barbara succeed in becoming a womanof independent means whilst challenging a highly patriarchal society,and become master of her own destiny?”
Garai’s “brilliant screenplay about identity, power, beauty and the role of thearts to impact society has attracted an incredible ensemble of the verybest British and Irish acting talent,” said Hanway Films CEO Gabrielle Stewart. “It is a timeless and entertainingstory that young and old, male and female, and everyone in between, canenjoy together and have lots to talk about after.”
Garai added: “I am beyond thrilled to bebringing this script, that I love so much and that has lived within mefor so many years, to the screen. Barbara’s deep need to express herselfand to be seen and appreciated by others… is all of ours; I am over themoon and truly humbled to be making this film with such an incredibleroster of talent – they have responded with such intelligence,sensitivity and love to Barbara and her story.”
Ramsey will also reunite with Pascal and return as Ellie in The Last of Us season 2, expected to shoot later this year for HBO.
