When Kimberly Peirce’s biographical drama Boys don’t cry was released in 1999 and was hailed as one of the best films of the year. Hilary Swank won her first Oscar for her role as the murdered transgender Brandon Teena.

Although the film has been re-examined in recent years as another example of a cis actor playing a trans character who is raped and murdered and despite winning an Oscar, it is still a skillfully made film that highlights the dangers and tragedies of transphobia and transphobic violence.

But what do young transgender people think of the film? A young celebrity — 20 years old The last of us star Bella Ramsey — watched and commented on the film.

“I recently watched ‘Boys Don’t Cry’ and realized how recently transgender acceptance began,” Ramsey wrote in a recent Instagram post. “And it made me feel so privileged to be alive in this time of change, where tolerance, learning, love, and understanding are becoming more and more important.”

In 2023 the The last of us star came out as non-binaryand says their gender is “always very flexible” and that they use the “non-binary” option when available on forms.

“Someone would call me ‘she’ or ‘her’ and I would think about it, but I knew if someone called me ‘he,’ it would be a little bit scary,” they said. “I’m just a person.”

“Gendering is not something I particularly enjoy,” they added. “But when it comes to pronouns, I really don’t give a damn.”

Season 2 of The last of us is set to release in 2025 and will feature the addition of Isabella Merced as the character Dina. She starts out as Ellie’s (Ramsey) girlfriend, but the two soon begin dating.

The new season also features Kaitlyn Dever as Abby, one of the main antagonists in the second game.