Maisie Williams, the young British actor who broke into the industry without the typical elite schooling, aristocratic lineage, or famous parent, shot to fame in 2011 when she landed the role of the feisty Arya Stark in the highly-anticipated TV adaptation of George R.R. Martin’s epic series, “Game of Thrones.”
Unlike many of her fellow cast members, Williams managed to survive the show’s blood-soaked final season in 2019. By that time, she was already looking beyond Westeros, with notable roles in the long-running sci-fi series “Doctor Who” and the one-off docudrama “Cyberbully.” She also took on big-screen parts in movies like “The Falling,” “The Book of Love,” and “Mary Shelley.”
However, after the divisive conclusion of the HBO hit series, Williams seemed to keep a lower profile than anticipated. From her business ventures and charitable work to navigating relationship challenges and facing setbacks in casting, let’s catch up on her recent journey.
Maisie Williams Opens Up About Her Struggles Playing Arya Stark on ‘Game of Thrones’
During her eight-year portrayal of Arya Stark in the fantasy sensation “Game of Thrones,” Maisie Williams became known for the character’s tomboyish nature. This characteristic wasn’t much of an issue when the actor was in her early teens. However, as puberty ran its course, Williams found it increasingly challenging to conceal her more womanly figure.
In a candid 2022 interview with GQ, Williams confessed, “I think that when I started becoming a woman, I resented Arya because I couldn’t express who I was becoming. And then I also resented my body because it wasn’t aligned with the part of me that the world celebrated.”
Williams delved further into her discomfort during discussions with Vogue. In addition to maintaining short hair, she described how the costume department repeatedly covered her in dirt and tightly strapped her chest to hide any emerging curves. She reflected, “I don’t know, that just felt horrible for six months of the year, and I felt kind of a bit ashamed for a while.”
Maisie Williams’ Journey from Fantasy to Tech Entrepreneurship
After spending years in the fantastical world of “Game of Thrones,” Maisie Williams, who portrayed Arya Stark, decided in 2019 to transition to the very real and highly technological realm of social media. Teaming up with film producer and co-founder Dom Santry, Williams launched her own platform, which coincidentally rhymed with her name.
Named Daisie, the platform was a departure from the more popular social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter. Notably, it did not feature follower counts, aiming to create a space where popularity wasn’t the central focus but rather a platform designed to help creatives gain recognition and foster valuable connections.
The pair invested considerable time and effort into securing funds for the project, including a challenging trip to San Francisco in mid-2018, which Williams described to Wired as “the most intense few weeks of my life.” Fortunately, their hard work paid off, as Daisie quickly attracted an impressive 120,000 users within its first two months. Williams expressed, “We managed to really hit a sweet spot of these creative people who feel like complete outcasts and weirdos.”
In addition to her entrepreneurial success, Williams has also given a TEDx talk on her experiences and served as a creative strategist for another innovative platform, Connect, which bypasses traditional agencies.
Maisie Williams’ Love For Animals
In 2020, Maisie Williams demonstrated once again that she’s not just a talented actress but also a kind-hearted soul. She generously donated approximately $60,000 to the very animal rescue shelter from which she had adopted her beloved dog four years earlier. It’s evident that the “Game of Thrones” star has a deep commitment to both animals and the betterment of our world on a larger scale.
A year later, Williams took on the significant role of Global Ambassador for Climate and Nature with the World Wildlife Fund, marking a groundbreaking appointment. Her responsibilities included introducing Sir David Attenborough’s documentary “The Green Planet” at COP26. In a press statement celebrating her new role, Williams expressed her pride in joining the fight against climate change, saying, “I am honored and excited to be working with WWF where together we will give the opportunity for people to learn about critical parts of the natural world that are most at risk, and how we can all personally make a difference and preserve them for future generations.”
Furthermore, Williams has actively participated in protests against the practice of dolphin hunting, specifically supporting the Dolphin Project, an initiative founded by trainer Ric O’Barry. When asked about her advocacy work in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the British actress emphasized her belief that if there’s something worth standing up and fighting for, then one should do so wholeheartedly.
Behind the Mic with Maisie Williams
While you may not have seen much of Maisie Williams on the screen recently, you might have heard her distinctive voice making waves in various projects. In 2018, she lent her voice to Aardman Animation’s “Early Man,” where she portrayed the soccer enthusiast Goona. A year later, Williams took on the role of Scottish hacker Cammie MacCloud in the animated web series “Gen:Lock.” And in 2022, she delighted fans by returning as the beloved “Game of Thrones” character, Arya Stark, in the crossover fighting game “MultiVersus.”
In an interview with IGN, Williams shared the challenges of the voiceover process, saying, “At the end of the day, you are alone in a booth, and it’s very hard to imagine a world that doesn’t exist. You need someone who’s really gonna bring you through that … Trying to emote everything through your voice is … I guess for some actors very easy, but for me, I do rely heavily on my facial expressions and my body language.”
Beyond her voice acting, Williams also made her mark as an executive producer of the animated short film “Salvation Has No Name.” This thought-provoking film explores themes of immigration and xenophobia, telling the story of a clown troupe whose storytime blurs the lines between reality and fantasy. The film was long-listed in the British Short Animation category at the 2022 BAFTAs.