Bella Ramsey, Ruby Stokes, and Louis Partridge To Star in ‘Sunny Dancer’

The Big Picture

Bella Ramsey, star of
The Last of Us
, will feature in the coming-of-age film
Sunny Dancer
alongside Louis Partridge and Ruby Stokes.
Sunny Dancer
follows Ivy, a teenager in remission from cancer, forced to attend a summer camp for young cancer survivors.
Ramsey, with an Emmy nomination at 21, has proven to be one of Hollywood’s brightest rising stars with acclaimed performances.

While filming the highly anticipated Season 2 of The Last of Us, Bella Ramsey has reportedly found their next project. Variety revealed in an exclusive report that Ramsey will star in a coming-of-age film, Sunny Dancer, by director George Jaques alongside Louis Partridge and Ruby Stokes. Jaques directed several short films from 2019-2021 before making his feature directorial debut with 2023’s Black Dog, a drama that stars Stokes, Paul Kaye, and Jason Flemyng. Black Dog premiered at the BFI London Film Festival in 2023 and was well-received, and the director will pick up a higher-profile project with a rising star in Ramsey.

Sunny Dancer will follow Ivy (Ramsey), a teenager in remission from cancer whose parents force her to attend a summer camp for other young adults and teenagers who also have cancer. Ivy is anything but excited about going to Children Run Free Camp, but new friends make the experience worthwhile. The report describes the story as one of adversity and resilience where kids and adults come together and bond over shared life experiences. Ramsey received universal acclaim for their performance as Ellie in The Last of Us, even landing a nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress. Although they’ve only been working since 2017, Ramsey has proven to be one of Hollywood’s brightest up-and-coming stars.

What Else Has the ‘Sunny Dancer’ Cast Been in Recently?

While many would consider The Last of Us Ramsey’s breakout project, they first gained attention on Game of Thrones, portraying the young noble Lyanna Mormont. Outside these projects, they’ve most recently appeared in Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget, Impact Winter, Hilda, and more. With an Emmy nomination at only 21 years old, Ramsey has established themselves as a sought-after talent in the entertainment industry.

Alongside Ramsey stars Stokes, who most recently appeared alongside Samantha Morton and Conrad Khan in The Burning Girl and Black Dog, director Jaques’ only feature film. She also has a recurring role in Netflix’s Bridgerton with the likes of Jonathan Bailey and Nicola Coughlan. Partridge has starred in Enola Holmes films as well as Paddington 2 and Argylle and has experience working with Henry Cavill, Millie Bobbie Brown, Bryan Cranston, and more. Jaques has collected an immensely talented ensemble to follow up his directorial debut, leaving him plenty of room to further improve on an already strong career.

There is no official release date as of now for Sunny Dancer. Stay tuned to Collider for future updates. You can catch Ramsey in The Last of Us on Max.