Bella Ramsey made television history on Tuesday, securing their second Emmy nomination and becoming the first openly non-binary performer to be recognized more than once by the Television Academy.
The nomination is for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for their role as Ellie in the second season of HBO’s The Last of Us. Ramsey was previously nominated for the same role for the show’s first season at the 75th Emmy Awards in 2023.
The acclaimed series received 16 nominations in total for the upcoming 77th Emmy Awards, raising its cumulative count to 40 nominations over its two seasons. The show previously won eight Emmys in 2024.
Ramsey’s achievement comes amid a broader industry conversation about gendered award categories, as very few openly non-binary and transgender actors have received Emmy nominations. In 2023, Yellowjackets star Liv Hewson, who is also non-binary, opted out of Emmy consideration in protest of the separate categories for male and female performers.
While many gender non-conforming actors have advocated for eliminating such distinctions, Ramsey recently defended the existing structure, explaining they felt it was important that “recognition for women in the industry is preserved.”
Based on the award-winning video game from Naughty Dog, The Last of Us is set 20 years after a global pandemic has destroyed modern civilization. The story follows Joel (Pedro Pascal), a hardened survivor hired to smuggle a 14-year-old girl named Ellie (Ramsey) out of an oppressive quarantine zone. Their task evolves into a brutal, cross-country journey where they must rely on each other to survive.
The show’s second season is set five years after the first, finding Joel and Ellie navigating new conflicts with each other in a world that has become even more dangerous and unpredictable.
