'The Last of Us' boss nods Bella Ramsey in season 2

The Last of Us co-president opened up on Bella Ramsey's recast for Part II, which took place five years after the events of Part I.

At a press conference, co-president Neil Druckmann said, “When we made the game, I felt we were incredibly lucky,” the exec added.

“It was like lightning in the bottle that we found Ashley Johnson. I can't imagine that version of Ellie being anybody else. And then somehow we got lightning in the bottle again with Bella.”

Druckmann continued, “We are extremely lucky to have Bella and the stuff you saw throughout this entire season.

The only way we would ever, ever consider recasting Bella is if she said, 'I don't want to work with you guys anymore.' Even then, I'm not sure we would grant her that. We might still force her to come back to Season 2."

Mazin also shared Druckman's excitement for Ramsey's Ellie, mentioning, "[Ramsey]'s 19 now, which — by the way — is the age of Ellie in The Last of Us Part II."