The Last of Us star Bella Ramsey said they feel so embarrassed about becoming a homeowner at the age of 22. The actor, who identifies as gender fluid and non binary and uses they/them pronouns, described buying a first home as feeling wrong for someone their age.
Ramsey started acting at 11 in Game Of Thrones before shooting to fame in the post-apocalyptic drama The Last Of Us. The role earned Ramsey nominations at the Golden Globes, Critics Choice, and Emmy Awards. Now holding an estimated net worth of £1.5million, Ramsey has also appeared in films including The Sheep Detectives and Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget.
Speaking to The Guardian about purchasing a first house, Ramsey said: "It feels very wrong, you're not supposed to do that until you're older, I've done it a bit early." Reflecting on ten years in acting, Ramsey added: "I guess people maybe start working when they're 21 and then buy a house when they're 31, so I don't know."
Ramsey continued: "Buying a house is impossible now and it's only because I ended up in this industry that pays people too much money that I've been able to do it." The star described the house purchase as feeling like a "glitch in the system" and said they feel "so embarrassed by it" when comparing their success to peers.
British Housing Costs and Young Adults
Soaring housing costs caused an increase of almost 10 per cent in the number of young British adults failing to move out of their parents' homes, figures revealed last year. Data from the Office for National Statistics showed the number of adults aged 20 to 34 still living with mum and/or dad rose from 3.3 million in 2014 to 3.6 million last year.
The Office for National Statistics said figures suggest fewer people are leaving home in their mid-20s due to rent and mortgage costs, including the ability to save for deposits, and an uncertain job market affecting choices. The proportion is higher among men, with a third of men in that age group still living with parents compared to a quarter of women, a difference most prevalent in their early and late 20s.
Autism Diagnosis and Identity
Last year, Ramsey revealed being diagnosed with autism during the first season of HBO's The Last of Us, which filmed from June 2021 until July 2022. The British star had previously spoken about neurodivergence, but for "some reason didn't want to" share the official diagnosis before then.
While posing for an edgy British Vogue shoot, Ramsey, who plays Ellie in the post-apocalyptic drama, said: "I got diagnosed with autism when I was filming season one of The Last of Us." Autism is defined as a lifelong developmental disability that affects how people perceive the world and interact with others.
Ramsey told British Vogue: "[The diagnosis was] Freeing, it enables me to walk through the world with more grace towards myself about not being able to do the easy everyday tasks that everyone else seems to be able to do."
Ramsey added: "The label of being autistic has been so helpful to me because that’s helped me to understand myself, but gender and sexuality-wise, labels do not feel comfy for me in any capacity, because I feel like I’m putting myself into a box. I feel trapped."
