Bella Ramsey Discusses the Most Challenging Scene from 'The Last of Us' Season 2—And It Wasn't Joel's Demise

In the second season of 'The Last of Us,' audiences were taken aback when Joel, portrayed by Pedro Pascal, met his end in the second episode. However, Bella Ramsey, who steps into the role of Ellie, revealed that the third episode featured the scene she found most difficult to film.

Season two follows the storyline from the 2020 video game 'The Last of Us Part II,' which drew attention due to Joel's controversial death.

There are minor discrepancies between the game and the series regarding how Abby, played by Kaitlyn Dever, kills Joel, making it a heart-wrenching experience for Ellie, who must witness Joel's death.

In the third episode, there's a poignant moment as Ellie visits Joel's house, overwhelmed by grief, she inhales the scent of his jacket, recalling the loss of her surrogate father.

"The closet scene was the most challenging," Ramsey shared in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. "I have a tough time shedding tears on demand. Even getting just one tear is a struggle, as crying isn't something I do openly in life," Ramsey admitted.

Ramsey further explained, "A select few in my life have ever seen me cry. To do so in front of an entire production crew, with cameras capturing every detail, was daunting. It left me anxious, making it my toughest scene to film."

To capture the necessary emotion, Ramsey didn't revisit painful memories but instead thought back to moments shared with Pedro Pascal during the filming of season one.

Reflecting on those experiences, Ramsey said, "I thought back to our initial meetings, the laughter during filming, and viewed all through the lens of not just losing Joel, but this friendship with Pedro, as our off-screen and on-screen memories are so deeply connected."

Previously, Pascal had also commented on his experience filming the intense death scene in season two when he spoke with Entertainment Weekly.

"That day was unlike anything else. Arriving on set, makeup complete, and instantly plunging the atmosphere into silence whenever anyone saw me. The wave of grief and shock was palpable," Pascal recounted.

He humorously added, "It's as though there's a huge 'is there something on my face?' moment, watching this heavy sorrow cast a shadow across everyone's expressions."