Bella Ramsey feels "sad" they do not have "access to femininity" because of being non-binary.

The 21-year-old actor - who came out in early 2023 and uses they/them pronouns - felt like they did not identify with their biological sex as a child but rather "in-between" male and female genders because they "grew up more as a little boy than I did a little girl" and always lent to the "more masculine or more on that side of the spectrum".

And Bella has admitted when they are "trying to avoid being perceived as a woman" in their life, the idea of "exploring [femininity] in any way feels like that doesn't serve my purpose".

'The Last of Us' star explained to Louis Theroux on the first episode of the fifth season of his 'The Louis Theroux Podcast': "There's been a lot of times I'm like, what even is the neurology of, or the psychology of being non-binary?

"I rejected that word for so long by the way, because I didn't want it to be trendy.

"It's been very obvious since I was young. I always called myself a tomboy, but it wasn't that I was a boyish girl, I was always like a bit of an in-between. Leaning most of the boys side.

"To be honest, I grew up more as a little boy than I did a little girl. I always felt more masculine or more on that side of the spectrum. I guess at the moment I don't feel like I have access to femininity.

"I think when I'm trying to avoid being perceived as a woman in my everyday life, the idea of me exploring femininity in any way feels like, that doesn't serve my purpose. You know what I mean?

"I feel a bit like sad about that sometimes, but I think it's also a journey."

After Louis questioned what Bella feels "sad" about, they replied: "Like the idea of femininity being something that I think is so beautiful, but me not feeling like I have any access to it at the moment."

He followed up: "So there's some part of you that is, but maybe feels like it would like a bit of that …

The 'Game of Thrones' star answered: "But within a masculine mold, you know how there's more feminine guys, the whole Harry Styles' wearing a dress. That's what it is. It's femininity within the structure of masculinity, I suppose. I don't know. I feel like it's now just words that don't mean anything."

Bella has watched gender critical researchers, such as feminist and writer Germaine Geer and has admitted not "hate-watching" gender conformist arguments from the likes of 'Harry Potter' author JK Rowling.

This has enabled Bella to "try and understand" both sides of the spectrum and to "try and be more secure in my own beliefs".

They said: "This is where I've been looking into this a lot recently. I've tried to do a lot of research from both sides.

"I've been watching a lot of gender-critical researchers and people talking about the opposite end of the spectrum, being transgender doesn't exist."

Asked how they feel about the "gender critical content", Bella said: "I find it a bit scary and there's an element of that makes me question everything, but I can't deny how I have felt all my life and how other people that I know have felt like all their lives. It is a real thing. It just is."

Confirming that they are not "hate-watching" it, they added: "No, I'm not. I'm watching it with an open mind and a really critical eye, critically thinking about it all.

"I'm watching it to try and understand and to try and be more secure in my own beliefs. And to know why I believe what I do. Not just believing something because it's the thing that a lot of people might believe."

'The Louis Theroux Podcast' is available on Spotify and all podcast platforms.