Bella Ramsey On Why a Tuxedo Felt Right For Their First Met Gala

Given the entire world watches and discusses the annual Met Gala red carpet, attending the star-studded event is nerve-racking for virtually any celebrity —let alone someone attending for the first time. The Last of Us star Bella Ramsey admits to Vogue that they did have pre-Met jitters (mixed with excitement, of course). “I was looking forward to meeting up with people I haven’t seen for ages, and seeing a lotta cool clothes,” says Ramsey. “It’s the Met—it’s iconic!”

Though the actor had never attended the Met before Monday, they knew they needed a strong fashion look for the occasion. Dressed by Thom Browne, Ramsey wore a double-breasted skirted tuxedo, covered in pinstripes and pearls (an homage to the late Karl Lagerfeld, who loved a pearl).

Turns out, Browne’s design was an elevated, red carpet-ready version of Ramsey’s everyday sleek, tailored style. “I’ve worn Thom Browne a lot for other press and loved it, so it made sense to wear them for my first Met,” says Ramsey. “They designed every part of the outfit, knowing I’d want to wear some version of a suit, and they did an amazing job. I loved working with the cool Thom Browne team and my beautiful stylist and friend, Fabio Immediato.”

Photo: Menelik Puryear

Ramsey says their favorite part of the evening was mingling inside the event—not to mention taking in the special musical performance. “I got to hang out with people I really love,” says Ramsey, “and it wasn’t as overwhelming as I thought it would be. And, I was in the presence of Lizzo.”

Now that the Met Gala is officially wrapped, however, Ramsey is back to work on a slew of exciting projects. The actor will be starring in the period drama Monstrous Beauty, as well as lending their voice to the animated film, Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget. They’ll also continue relishing in the critical acclaim that they’ve received for The Last of Us, alongside co-star Pedro Pascal, who was also at the Met. “The Last of Us reception has been amazing,” says Ramsey. “I’ve been traveling a lot, talking a lot, and experiencing lots of flashes. It’s sometimes surreal, sometimes too real. But shooting the first season was the best year of my life, so it’s been so nice to celebrate the success of the show and get ready to make another season.”

Below, see exclusive photos of Ramsey’s first Met Gala look.