How old is Ellie in The Last of Us? Season 2 time jump & age explained

The Last of Us Season 2 will feature a time jump, so how old is Bella Ramsey’s Ellie in the show, and how does that compare to the character in the Part 1 and Part 2 games?
The first season directly adapted the beloved 2013 game, following Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Ramsey) on a treacherous cross-country trip across America amid a deadly, monstrous pandemic – and the infected weren’t their only concern.
It was one of the best video game adaptations of all time, but Season 2 has a tougher task: navigating the weighty, upsetting story of Part 2, one of the greatest (and most divisive) stories in all of gaming.
No spoilers, but it sets Ellie on a life-changing journey, so you may be curious what age she is going into the new series of The Last of Us.
How old is Ellie in The Last of Us?
Ellie is 19 years old in The Last of Us Season 2. She was 14 in the first season, just like in the game, and the second season will include the sequel’s five-year time jump, hence why she’s 19. In real life, Bella Ramsey is 21.
The events of the first game roughly take place over the course of a year, and while we don’t know her exact birthday, it’s likely the first season concluded with her closer to 15 years old.
It also means Ellie was born in 2009, six years into the Cordyceps pandemic. This is slightly different from the game’s timeline, where Outbreak Day happened on September 26, 2013, with the main events unfolding in 2033.
How The Last of Us Season 2 time jump affects Ellie
The Last of Us Season 2 will fast-forward five years after the ending of the first season (though you should expect some flashbacks of what happened in that gap).
Some fans have criticised Ramsey’s casting, claiming they don’t look any older compared to Season 1.
“Ellie in the game looks much older. Some people do change quite dramatically and some people don’t,” co-showrunner Craig Mazin told THR.
“I’m not interested in the physical aspect — although I’ve been looking at Bella’s face for years while editing, and I can see that she’s certainly grown. I’m interested in the emotional maturity, and the change in personality.
“I’ve watched Bella grow and become independent and start to find her own two feet separate and apart from her parents, who are amazing — How do I figure out how to be my own person now and test that full independence? And I feel that in Ellie completely. So I understand where people are coming from, but when they watch this year, I think they’re going to see the difference.”
The Last of Us Season 2 premieres on April 13 on HBO. Find out why the title of Episode 1 could be a big spoiler, Season 2’s big change to Abby, and if Joel was right to save Ellie.
You can also check out all of the biggest TV shows arriving in 2025.
Source link