Who is the weird looking girl in iPhone commercials?
Unveiling the actress behind Apple’s latest iPhone 16 campaign
(By Carmichael Phillip)
Early Identity – Meet Bella Ramsey
You may have spotted a young woman in the recent series of ads for the Apple iPhone 16/iPhone 16Pro campaign (promoting “Apple Intelligence”) and wondered: who is she? The answer: it’s Bella Ramsey — the British actor known for major TV roles, now fronting Apple’s high-profile marketing push.
Ramsey was born in Nottingham, England on 25 September 2003.
Why call her “weird looking girl”? Probably because the ads place her in odd, awkward everyday scenarios (one involves a pet-fish funeral) which together with the stylised direction make the visuals stick in the mind.
The campaign: iPhone 16 & “Apple Intelligence”
Apple’s recent marketing campaign for the iPhone 16 (and the “Apple Intelligence” suite of AI-driven features) uses three short film-style spots starring Ramsey. The spots include:
“More Personal Siri” – She asks Siri who that person she met at a café a few months ago is.
“Email Summary” – She’s in a meeting and uses the phone to summarise a long email she never read.
“Custom Memory Movies” – At a (rather odd) fish-funeral scene she uses the phone to generate a montage of her sister’s goldfish.
These ads are notable because they show features that weren’t actually available at the time of release (or at least delayed). For example, the “More Personal Siri” feature was still under development when the commercial ran.
Why Bella Ramsey was chosen
Why did Apple pick her? A few reasons:
Ramsey has strong credentials: she rose to prominence via her role as Lyanna Mormont in Game of Thrones and as Ellie in The Last of Us.
She has a youthful, relatable look and presence that can appeal to younger demographics.
The ad campaign’s tone is quirky and slightly off-beat, so someone who can play that “everyday person in awkward scenario” role works.
Apple’s marketing director said roughly that by casting her, they weren’t just promoting a product—they were “creating a moment that sticks”.
A closer look – her background and career highlights
Here’s a deeper dive into Ramsey’s profile:
Full name: Isabella May “Bella” Ramsey.
Born: 25 September 2003 (making her 21 or so as of now).
Early career: Began acting young, training at local theatre groups in Nottingham.
Breakthrough role: Lyanna Mormont in Game of Thrones (starting 2016) — a scene-stealer character that earned her wide attention.
Major recent role: Ellie in The Last of Us (HBO) – her performance earned award nominations and cemented her as an actor to watch.
Additional notes: She identifies as non-binary (uses they/them pronouns, though also accepts she/he) and is outspoken about identity issues and representation.
What does the commercial role mean (and what criticisms?)
Ramsey’s role in the iPhone campaign is more than just “pretty face in an ad”:
It links Apple’s tech (the new iPhone 16 + AI features) with a recognizable young actor, giving the product a human face.
It signals Apple’s desire to reach younger, ‘digital native’ viewers and to frame the iPhone not just as a gadget but as part of daily life (including bizarre moments).
However — some tech/advertising commentary has criticised the campaign for being tone-deaf or weird. For example, one article noted that the features shown in the ad weren’t available yet, making the campaign feel mismatched to reality.
In online forums, some viewers found the “fish funeral” ad especially odd and off-putting, even if memorable.
Reddit
So — “weird looking girl”? Why that phrase?
If you called her “weird looking”, here are some reasons people might say that (no offence intended):
The ads place her in strange, off-kilter situations (fish funeral, awkward meeting) which emphasise a quirky aesthetic.
The cinematography and editing are deliberately stylised, making her stare or expressions slightly heightened, which may make her seem unusual or striking.
Because she isn’t (yet) a huge household name, your brain might register “that weird girl in the iPhone ad” rather than “Bella Ramsey”.
But in fact, she’s a talented actor with a growing profile, so “weird looking” is more about the creative direction of the ad than the person herself.
Key stats you might want
Name: Bella Ramsey (Isabella May Ramsey)
Born: 25 Sept 2003, Nottingham, England
Known for: Game of Thrones (Lyanna Mormont), The Last of Us (Ellie)
Role: Star of Apple’s iPhone 16 “Apple Intelligence” ad campaign
Significance: Apple chose a young actor with strong back-story and appeal; the ads show features of the iPhone that weren’t yet fully released (leading to some backlash).
What to watch for: her career and the ad campaign moving forward
Ramsey’s career is clearly on the rise: with The Last of Us success and now a major brand endorsement, more high-profile roles will likely follow.
For Apple: the iPhone 16/AI campaign is a pivot toward “intelligence” features. It will be interesting to see how well the ads age (given that some promised features were delayed).
From a marketing lens: The campaign is a case study in combining celebrity casting + quirky real-life relatable scenarios. But it also shows risks when the product promise gets ahead of the technology.
For you (as consumer/observer): Next time you see an iPhone ad with a young person doing something odd (fish funeral montage?!) you’ll now know — that’s Bella Ramsey, not just “weird girl”.
Final take
So, in answer to the question: the “weird looking girl in the iPhone commercials” is Bella Ramsey — a rising British actor whose casting in Apple’s recent iPhone 16/Apple Intelligence ads gives her face to the brand’s next-gen push. Far from just a random extra, her selection reveals a deliberate strategy: merge tech-forward features with a human, relatable face — even if the scenarios are intentionally odd. The slight strangeness of the ads actually helps them stand out, and Ramsey’s presence helps ground them.
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