THE Big OnE

You’ve touched on something we’ve heard from a lot of other Workshoppers, which is around not ‘acting’, but instead becoming the character. How easy is that in something like The Last of Us, which is such a heightened setting - and requires a completely different accent?

To be honest, I think the accent actually helped, because I learned it through Ellie’s dialoguewhich does mean that, if I ever talk in an American accent, I now swear a lot... I think that was really helpful in terms of shifting into that character, and it works because the script is so good.

Craig Mazin’s writing is genius, even though he hates when I say that word. But I’ve never read a script so good, and when you’re held by the writing, I think that sense of character never goes away. I really loved being Ellie. When I came home after a year of being her, it really was a mini grieving process, even though I knew there might be a season two.

Speaking of Craig Mazin, this interview is going to be in our literature issue, so talking about the writing seems like a perfect way to crowbar in that theme... Why do you think the adaptation of a video game worked so well here, when so often others haven’t?

I think it’s because of the great script, but I also think it’s because the narrative in The Last of Us game itself is so rich. It always had the potential to translate well onto screen, though in the wrong hands it could have been a disaster. So I think it’s the perfect combination of having, for me, the best writer in the industry, along with really rich source material, and the creator of the game, Neil Druckmann, being properly involved too.

It’s such a popular game, and Ellie’s such a cherished character. Some actors might feel a bit nervous to take on such a beloved name and risk becoming known as that character - like James Bond actors lamenting being known solely as ‘Bond’, for example. Did that ever concern you, being known as one particular character?

I didn’t really mind. I love the character so much that right now I don’t even care if people know me as Ellie, because I think she’s so great. That might change, but it’s not something I’ve thought about too much. What did cross my mind was that I was potentially signing on for several seasons, which was terrifying, just in case I got stuck in the wrong project for years. Thankfully, shooting The Last of Us really was the best year of my life, and I can’t wait to do it again.

It’s such a great show. The dialogue between Ellie and Joel, in particular, is really effective. In places, it’s quite sparse and gruff, but there are also such heavy emotional layers. How was it to play these contrasting parts?

That was one of the things that made me so excited about doing the show - the contrast between the gruff harshness and the vulnerability. I think there’s such an unspoken love between Ellie and Joel that develops, and there’s so much weight in their silences and behind the things they say. Even if they’re not explicitly trauma-dumping on each other, there is the implication that there is more trauma that’s left silent. That almost makes it heavier.

On the flip side, Ellie seems like such a fun character and provides so much comedic relief, especially in episode seven - which is dedicated to her backstory. That episode almost comes across as a rom-com, in a lot of ways. How fun was it to get into that side of the character?

It was a lot of fun, actually, and it was a relief too. It was nice not to leave every day feeling emotionally torn apart. It’s interesting that you said it reads like a rom-com because I think that’s true, and that episode shows the awkwardness of teenage crushes, which is so cool within this big apocalypse show. But also, the backstory really helps you understand why Ellie is how she is. Some people saw that as a standalone episode, but I don’t think it is.

It’s one of our favourite episodes so far. Do you think you’d like to move more into that kind of genre in the future? Trying out romance or comedy? Are you trying to craft any particular career, or do you just evaluate each product individually?

I’m taking it project by project, which is nice. I’d like to just do a whole range of things. I’ve got some pretty depressing stuff coming up, which I’m really looking forward to, but really I just want to do interesting projects. I have to be picky now about what I sign on to, because people are going to watch it, which is kind of scary! But it’s a privilege to be able to have that choice so early on in my career. There are some moments where you get that instinctual ‘I have to do this’ feeling, though, and that’s when I instantly sign up.

You mentioned earlier that you were sad to leave Ellie behind. Did you see any of yourself in Ellie, and what were your feelings towards the character, who is actually quite a lot younger than you?

While we were filming, I didn't once think about the fact that Ellie was fourteen, so I never consciously played down or played younger. I think because she’s so smart and mature, she’s wise beyond her years anyway, it sort of worked. And I look frigging twelve anyway. My version of Ellie is familiar to people who loved the video game, actually, because Ashley Johnson was older and playing a younger person. But in terms of how much I can leave Ellie behind, I’m terrible at that. People ask how I decompress and wind down and I just don’t. I don’t know how to. Every character I play, I become very enmeshed, by accident. I wouldn’t say that I’m a method actor, but it just happens.

It seems like everyone on The Last of Us has such a good relationship with each other. Did your team make an intense filming process easier?

Definitely. I don’t even want to imagine what filming would have been like without Craig and without Pedro [Pascal, who plays Joel in the show… We’re putting it in brackets like you didn’t know that already]. They were there pretty much every day and I can’t imagine what it would have been like without them. Craig and I always say we share a brain. We’re very similar in terms of our anxieties and feelings, so we could just look at each other and see each other. Then I was always giggling my ass off with Pedro. I loved it so much.

Do you miss seeing them all day-to-day?

I miss them a lot. Craig and I call probably too often. Pedro and I are probably a bit worse at replying to each other, but we Facetimed the other day. You spend a year with these people, and I know it’s cliche but they become a weird kind of family. So, to then not be with them is so hard. I really was in denial when I got back. The denial was real

From a more technical standpoint, one of the things we love about the show, even though it’s in a heightened world, is the commitment to physical sets and shooting on location. How fun was it to play in this physical sandbox? Especially in the age of greenscreen and a lack of practical sets…

It was amazing. It was really immersive. I can probably count on my hand the days I acted with greenscreen. I think the crew cared so deeply about the project that it really felt like we were all experiencing the story there together, which was lovely. The lack of greenscreen did mean that it was ridiculously cold when we were shooting in -17 degree weather in Canada, though, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’d rather that than being in a stuffy studio!

We’ve talked a lot about The Last of Us, but you’ve also been involved in quite a lot of smaller-budget projects. Do you think you’ll carry on taking part in more independent films?

Definitely. I think that’s one of the things I was so keen about when deciding on an American agent: I wanted to make sure that they were into that too. Because I don’t want to only do big-budget Hollywood movies. Most of the time, they aren’t the scripts I’m into anyway. I’d much rather do something small and gritty and independent than super big and commercialised, unless it’s something special like The Last of Us. So, I will keep doing smaller-budget things, because they’re some of the projects I connect to most.

One particular project that stuck out was 3 Minutes of Silence, which is an incredible short film. You could almost see precursors to Ellie in your character, Jane, particularly through her awkward energy. Would you say that was the case for you? Do you think playing that character helped with Ellie? It probably did. It’s not until people point something out that I see the parallels and similarities. But that was one of those projects where I became so enmeshed with the character that it became a bit of a problem... It was like three days of intense emotion and self-loathing for the character, and I remember just being on the drive home with my mum and really feeling all my feelings. There’s also a film out now called Requiem, by Em Gilbertson, which I’m really excited for people to see.

T He Future

Like you say, you don’t want to do big projects for big projects' sake, but you have starred in two of the biggest TV shows of all time… Are there any other major projects in the pipeline? The Mandolorian series four, perhaps? This is our attempt at the big scoop…

I mean, if they’re ever looking for a live-action Grogu, then I’d be down for that... But it all just depends on what comes in. Like you say, I’ll never do a big project for a big project’s sake, so it really depends on the characters and the script and the people involved. One thing I can actually talk about is Chicken Run Two: The Dawn of the Nugget, which was a lot of fun to do, and which I hope lives up to the original Chicken Run.

Final question, and finishing on an easy one - what does the future have in store for you?

I would like to keep working. That’s number one: keep doing interesting projects. And I want to write more. I’ve written a film and I’m hoping to make that after the second season of The Last of Us. Hopefully I’ll get the chance to direct that, and generally just do more industry stuff. Then, outside of acting, I’ve always had this dream to set up a charity, sort of similar to Bamboozle; a performing arts centre for kids with learning difficulties. That’s a dream I’d like to make happen. In truth, though, I have no idea what’s going to happen in the future and I’m fine with that. It’s exciting! For now, I’m just looking forward to hopefully being Ellie for many more years...

You can now watch the entirety of The Last of Us on NOW TV or Sky Atlantic @bellaramsey

Meet Stephen L. Holland, the owner of Page 45 who’s changing perceptions about what comics can be…

Tell us about the origins of Page 45. How long have you been here? Is it true you started out thirty-ish years ago running a comic store in Virgin Megastore with a lovely fella called Mark?

What a luverly fella! The silly boy gave me a job.

Working together for someone else we quickly agreed on what we loved about the medium of comics – all the diverse visions and voices radiating through contemporary fiction, autobiography, history, politics, comedy, crime, fantasy – and what we despised about the industry, culpably in thrall to American corporations which crush diversity, blind visions and silence dissenting voices.

I’m rubbish at keeping my gob shut, and Mark was a man with a plan to promote the most personal, powerful and poignant comics which would speak directly to readers. We called it Page 45 and we opened on 17 October 1994. It’s won a few awards, you know!

The shop has recently had an impressive makeover, designed by co-owner Jonathan Rigby. When did the two of you decide it was time to switch things up?

When the shelves began collapsing, the lights blinked out, and we bought the building. There was no point spending £100,000 until we bought the building. The building cost even more. Thanks to Jonathan’s thrillingly open, clean classical design we now have swisher shelves, brighter light and an enormous window through which the gorgeous graphic novels can shine.

What are your criteria for choosing Comic Book of the Month, and the books that end up in the shop window? Brilliance and beauty! We treasure creators with something to say, and the skill with which to say it.

I curate this shop. That’s the joy of being independent: you choose what to stock and how to promote it. Publishers pay big bucks to big chains to shelve their books in prime positions, whereas we are beholden to no one. Instead of corporate compliance and sullied signals, our customers deserve the best and most diverse visions to choose from, with personal recommendations whenever they ask. Honesty and integrity engender trust; with trust come requests for more. Quality customer service is the best fun ever! To give, as well as receive.

You've had numerous famous faces visit the shop over the years, for signings or even just to purchase some comics themselves. Who have been some of the highlights?

Sandman’s Neil Gaiman signed as soon as we opened. He broke off filming in London to come to Page 45 because he cares. He signed for far longer than scheduled without once complaining, then when we closed the doors Neil said, “Pop the kettle on, and I’ll sign everything else with my name on it”.

Bryan Lee O’Malley’s been similarly loyal. He’s signed more times than I can recall, even when the UK publisher of Scott Pilgrim attempted to thwart it. The queues stretched way down the street and right round the corner.

More times than you can recall...?

One year, I was drunk by midday. It’s all a bit hazy, that one. My cat had just died.

My fav signing was for Philippa Rice’s Soppy, about her loving relationship with Hilda’s Luke Pearson. We asked them to cosign it on Valentine’s Day 2015. It was so deliriously cute that I had a bag behind the counter full of mewling kittens, and every ten minutes I’d wring another neck just to even the karmic balance. using devices unique to this medium to illuminate what was for some but a wall of words.

This October, you'll be wrapping up your tenure as the UK’s Comics Laureate, a position you've held since 2021. What does this role entail, and how big of an impact do you feel you've left on the public perception of comics during this time?

So much to do before I am done! I chose to do things a little differently by heading directly into schools and libraries while creating The Comics Laureate Recommended Reading List for everyone! It’s a permanent online resource with illustrated reviews which you can show any newcomer. Google it and see! Plus there’s another larger resource aimed specifically at schools and librarians coming shortly because, honestly, there’s so little information out there, and the information out there is well wonky.

What's the best 'gateway' comic book you'd recommend to people who wouldn't normally read them?

In an age where we have an endless stream of on-demand content available at our fingertips, why should people be visiting shops such as Page 45? For cultural enrichment, community and fun - yes, fun! You can now talk to your computer, but it’s not a conversation: it won’t care who you are or how you are. If you stop interacting with people who care then you will swiftly cease caring for others –which explains social media.

Comic book to TV & film adaptations – are there any/many you like?

The greatest creators make conscious decisions about every aspect of their storytelling, including which medium suits that specific story best. Any adaptation is therefore a dilution of original intent, so give me the original source any day. But flipping the question, the comics incarnation of Yuval Noah Harari’s Sapiens – the most enthralling and important nonfiction prose I’ve ever read – is a truly wit-ridden elaboration,

Everyone’s different, so we ask newcomers about their individual tastes first, and why The Comics Laureate Recommended Reading List caters for everyone.

But from that list The Nao of Brown, Nelson and The Many Deaths of Laila Starr, The Sculptor and In will speak to almost every adult, and Hilda by Nottingham’s Luke Pearson is the very best intro for your young ones. All reviewed on The Comics Laureate Recommended Reading List. Or come in and ask!

Any other comments you'd like to add?

Yes, please do come in and ask! Your cell phone doesn’t love you; it just wants all your attention. We, on the other hand, are absolutely lovelies in a safe space where everyone is cherished for who they are. And we will show you majesty!