In 2023, Bella mentioned in an interview that that they had lately been recognized as neurodivergent. “I don’t know if I’d be an actor if it wasn’t for [being neurodivergent]. One among my issues is I’m very perceptive, typically too perceptive. I get paralyzed as a result of I simply see every thing — it takes me 4 hours to get spherical Tesco’s,” they defined, noting a sensitivity for “micro-expressions and social cues.”
In a brand new interview with British Vogue, Bella mentioned that they, “for some cause,” had by no means needed to specify what that they had been recognized with. They then mentioned, “I bought recognized with autism once I was filming season one in every of The Final of Us.”
Although Bella had “at all times puzzled” if that they had been autistic, it took a crew member with an autistic baby assuming that they had been additionally autistic to spark a proper evaluation. They described themself as a “weirdo” and a “loner” as a toddler, experiencing hyperawareness of individuals’s expressions and sensory points. The latter included their response to the thermals and waterproofs that must be worn on the present’s chilly shoots, which they described as “an excessive amount of stuff on my physique.”
Bella described autism as an asset to performing, noting, “I’ve at all times been watching and studying from folks. Having to study extra manually how you can socialize and work together with the folks round me has helped me with performing.” They additional mentioned that they benefit from the routines of set: “I’ve a name time, and I’m instructed what to put on, how you can stand, the place to face and what to eat.”
As for the “releasing” analysis, Bella mentioned, “It permits me to stroll by way of the world with extra grace in direction of myself about not having the ability to do the straightforward on a regular basis duties that everybody else appears to have the ability to do.”
When in comparison with labels surrounding their gender identification and sexuality, the 21-year-old defined, “The label of being autistic has been so useful to me as a result of that’s helped me to grasp myself, however gender and sexuality-wise, labels don’t really feel cozy for me in any capability, as a result of I really feel like I’m placing myself right into a field. I really feel trapped.”
Certainly, Bella is conscious — and “a bit unhappy” — of their incapability to discover their gender and sexual identification in non-public. Conversely, sharing their autism analysis permits them to “unmask instantly” when chatting with folks. “My expertise of transferring by way of the world is as an autistic individual,” they added. “There’s no cause for folks to not know.”
You’ll be able to learn the total interview right here.