Maisie Williams describes the negative impact Game of Thrones had on her career

Virgin Radio

19 Feb 2024, 14:52

From Arya Stark to Catherine Dior: the unexpected challenges of post-Thrones stardom.

Maisie Williams, the once scrappy Stark-turned-legendary assassin Arya in Game of Thrones, has spilled the beans on the surprising hurdles she faced in her career after wielding Needle and bidding farewell to Westeros.

In an era where the realm of Hollywood can be as treacherous as the Iron Throne, Maisie revealed the unexpected downsides of her Thrones fame.

Arya Stark catapulted the then-12-year-old actress into the limelight, carving her name into the annals of fantasy TV history.

However, the shadow of Arya Stark loomed larger than even the Wall over Maisie's career.

The actress, now 26, found it 'really hard' to land roles in a world divergent from the gritty, sword-clashing landscape of Westeros.

Speaking about her recent role as Catherine Dior in the Apple TV series The New Look, Maisie confessed: "It's been tough to find roles that are in a world like The New Look because of the Arya Stark character." She highlighted the challenge of breaking free from the clutches of her iconic GoT persona when trying to explore diverse roles.

But fear not, for Maisie found solace in Todd Kessler, The New Look's creator, who, surprisingly, had never feasted his eyes on the political intrigues and direwolves of Game of Thrones.

Maisie chuckled: "He just got to meet me as a 24-year-old woman and see a character like Catherine within me without having this tarnished view of me being kind of a scruffy boy." It seems not everyone in the seven kingdoms has binge-watched GoT.

Navigating the path from a budding assassin to the sister of a legendary fashion designer wasn't all dragons and roses.

The ascent to superstardom brought its own challenges, and Maisie confessed to losing her identity amid the whirlwind.

"I was so lost for so long... It brought me a lot of discomfort," she shared, reflecting on the vertical climb to fame.

In a candid moment, Maisie unveiled her internal struggle during puberty, confession: "I resented Arya because I couldn’t express who I was becoming, and then I also resented my body, because I wasn’t aligned with the piece of me that the world celebrated."

It seems puberty is a tougher adversary than even the Night King.

Fast forward to The New Look, where Maisie steps into the shoes of Catherine Dior, a role that demanded more than just thespian finesse.

The actress embarked on a shocking method to look 'emaciated,' sparking controversy.

The extreme lengths, including restricted eating and sleep-deprived nights, were aimed at bringing authenticity to Catherine's character.

Despite the intense challenges, Maisie emphasised the importance of portraying both the horrors and the uplifting aspects of Catherine's story.

"Every day of filming was a reminder that we were portraying a story of the horrors that humans are capable of inflicting on one another, but also the magic and the hope and the love… Ultimately, we wanted to make a show that was uplifting," she concluded.

As Maisie continues to venture beyond the walls of Winterfell, navigating the intricacies of post-Thrones stardom, we salute her for facing these challenges with the resilience of Arya and the grace of Catherine Dior.

After all, in Hollywood, when you play the game of fame, you either win or find yourself on a sitcom spin-off.