Inspired by a mute character proposed for Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, Druckmann created her as a strong female character with a close relationship with Joel; throughout the game's development, the relationship between Ellie and Joel was the central focus, with all other elements developed around it. Johnson inspired aspects of Ellie's personality, prompting Druckmann to make her more active in fighting hostile enemies. Naughty Dog also redesigned her appearance during the game's development to more closely resemble Johnson.