In terms of diversifications of IP with large fan bases, it’s unattainable to please everybody, however there are some controversies that simply really feel pointless. Take as an example the current on-line criticism over Bella Ramsey‘s look in “The Final of Us” Season 2. Within the online game, as with the sequence, a five-year hole separates the 2 narrative installments, with primary character Ellie leaping from 14 years outdated to 19 and placing on a great deal of muscle and peak between that point. Although Ramsey was truly 19 after they shot Season 2, they opted to not beef up an excessive amount of for the half and stays at 5’1″, sparking many to criticize the selection to solid them.
Nevertheless, in a current interview in The Hollywood Reporter, co-creator and showrunner Craig Mazin shared that he stays assured in his determination to convey Ramsey onto the undertaking regardless of not completely matching the supply materials’s visuals.
“Ellie within the recreation appears to be like a lot older. Some individuals do change fairly dramatically and a few individuals don’t,” he mentioned. “I’m not within the bodily facet — though I’ve been Bella’s face for years whereas modifying, and I can see that they’ve definitely grown. I’m within the emotional maturity, and the change in character.”
In that regard, Mazin believes Ramsey matches the invoice completely. He does nevertheless acknowledge the priority for a way a personality like Ellie would defend themselves on the earth of “The Final of Us” being a brief particular person as Ramsey is. Mazin selected to make use of this problem in Season 2 reasonably than gloss over it.
“How does a small individual struggle with a giant individual? It’s not going to be karate. It’s not going to be superior punches and kicks — they’ll lose,” Mazin mentioned. “The reply is Juujitsu. I watch a whole lot of jiujitsu and I’ve particularly watched classes the place a small individual is taking down a giant individual. That’s how that might occur as a result of no one’s fucking round on this world.”
Then again, when it got here to tapping into Ellie’s softer facet, Mazin needed to solid a romantic curiosity that wouldn’t solid a shadow over Ramsey. He ended up discovering Isabella Merced to play Dina, who’s about the identical peak as her co-star.
“We needed anyone that was this distinction, this daylight, as a result of Ellie is hard and reserved and cautious, and we needed anyone who’s radiating solar,” mentioned Mazin to THR. “We additionally didn’t need anyone that was 5’9″, as a result of Bella is fairly brief. It’s a type of issues the place it will get somewhat wonky to border [two actors of very different height], or Dina would possibly really feel maternal, like a mother.”
Different new solid members for this season embrace Kaitlyn Dever, Catherine O’Hara, Jeffrey Wright, Younger Mazino, Danny Ramirez, and Joe Pantoliano, in addition to returning co-lead Pedro Pascal.
“The Final of Us” Season 2 premieres on HBO and Max Sunday, April 13.