Bella Ramsey Wishes They'd Been More Rebellious as a Teen

Bella Ramsey spent their teenage years working alongside adults on professional film and TV sets — which, it turns out, has some unexpected downsides. Now 22, the actor is reflecting on a chapter of youth they feel they quietly skipped, and a new film that gave them a surprising second chance to live it.

A Teenager at 21 (Better Late Than Never)

Ramsey, who uses they/them pronouns, first appeared on screen at age 11 as the unforgettable Lyanna Mormont in Game of Thrones. Growing up so visibly in the industry meant they made a conscious choice to sidestep the messy, moody teenage experience — largely to avoid the criticism they saw adults level at young people who acted out. Looking back, they're not entirely sure that was the right call.

"I kind of wish that I had made the most of being a teenager and getting away with things and being a bit rebellious," Ramsey told BBC Entertainment.

The good news? Their new film, Sunny Dancer, offered something of a do-over. Ramsey spent seven weeks on set essentially living among a group of younger co-stars who were more than happy to fill them in on everything they'd missed — the songs, the late nights, the whole vibe. "They were teaching me what being a teenager was for them and I was learning all the songs like five years later," Ramsey said with characteristic warmth.

What Sunny Dancer Is Actually About

In the film, Ramsey plays Ivy, a young woman in remission from cancer who reluctantly shows up to a summer camp designed for young people touched by the disease — and ends up having the kind of transformative, friendship-filled summer she never expected. The cast around her includes Neil Patrick Harris, Jessica Gunning, and James Norton, making this one of the more intriguing ensemble pieces of the year.

The script comes from writer-director George Jaques, whose personal connection to the story runs deep. His mother was diagnosed with cancer when he was 15, and it took nearly a decade of distance before he felt ready to shape those experiences into something cinematic. "You have to sort of get through and understand it and have that reflection of it," he explained.

Jaques was also careful not to let his own perspective be the only one in the room. He collaborated closely with the Teenage Cancer Trust, hearing directly from survivors and bereaved parents alike. Two of the young people he met during that process even ended up with roles in the film. One piece of feedback that stuck with him: "Don't call us kids, do not say we're brave."

On Grief, and Giving It Room to Breathe

Both Ramsey and Jaques use the film as a jumping-off point for a conversation that goes beyond cancer — one about how poorly we tend to handle grief as a society. Jaques lost someone close to him at 18, right in the middle of his A-levels, and describes the quiet pressure to simply carry on as if nothing had happened.

Ramsey echoes that sentiment with a line that's hard to shake: "It feels very unhealthily British." They argue that people should have more permission to be "expressive in grief" — whether that means letting it be loud, or quiet and deeply private. It's the kind of conversation that feels increasingly relevant, especially as advocates push for more robust bereavement support in workplaces and schools. It also connects to wider cultural discussions — Jeremy Allen White recently weighed in on social pressures facing young people at a high-profile industry event.

Advice for Anyone Struggling to Fit In

After spending weeks inhabiting a character who just wants to be seen on her own terms, Ramsey's message for young people feeling the pressure to conform is disarmingly simple: "Don't try and fit in. Please don't change to try and fit in because there are people who will fit in with you."

Jaques adds that the burden of resilience shouldn't fall entirely on young shoulders. "There's so much pressure on young people to change on social media," he said. "Why don't we stop hating on young people?"

Sunny Dancer had its world premiere in Berlin earlier this year. If Ramsey's track record — from Westeros to the post-apocalypse — is anything to go by, Ivy is a character worth meeting.

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