Bella Ramsey on Teenage Freedom, Grief, and New Film Sunny Dancer

Bella Ramsey, 22, known for Game of Thrones, reflects on missing out on teenage rebellion and finding it while filming Sunny Dancer, a movie about a summer camp for young cancer survivors. Ramsey, who uses they/them pronouns, says the role allowed them to 'be a teenager aged 21.' The film, written and directed by George Jaques, is inspired by his mother's cancer diagnosis when he was 15. Jaques worked with the Teenage Cancer Trust and incorporated input from young survivors. The film premiered in Berlin in February 2026 and also stars Neil Patrick Harris, Jessica Gunning, and James Norton. Ramsey and Jaques discuss the need for better support for grief, with Ramsey noting a 'very unhealthily British' tendency to minimize it. Jaques recalls a poignant moment at the premiere, realizing his mother might not have been there. The film also addresses pressure on young people, with Jaques urging society to 'stop hating on young people.'