Maisie Williams Opens Up About How 'Game Of Thrones' Fame Negatively Affected Her Mental Health As A Teen
On screen, fans everywhere know Maisie Williams as the unstoppable, bad-ass warrior/assassin Arya Stark. Behind the camera though, the 22-year-old actress was facing a different kind of battle.
Being a teenager is hard enough as it is, but for young stars like Maisie Williams, growing up in the public eye can add a whole new level of pressure to some already turbulent years.
Now 22, WIlliams was just 13 when she was cast as Arya Stark on HBO's mega-hit series Game Of Thrones, so the British actress is no stranger to fame.
Recently though, Maisie opened up about how her very public adolescence affected her mental health and how international celebrity wasn't always all it was cracked up to be.
As Game Of Thrones sets to air its final episode this weekend, many fans across the world the are getting ready to tearfully say goodbye to the characters they've known and loved over the last 8 seasons. For Williams though the end of the series will be a welcome change of pace.
Earlier this month, Maisie sat down for an interview with Fearne Cotton on the Happy Place podcast where she opened up about the downsides of fame at such a young age.
"It got to the point where I'd be in a conversation with my friends and my mind would be running and running and running and thinking about all the stupid things I'd said in my life, and all of the people that had looked at me a certain way, and it would just race and race and race. We'd be talking and I'd be like, 'I hate myself'...
Years later Maisie says she's still feeling the effects of public life.
"I still lie in bed at, like, 11 o'clock at night telling myself all the things I hate about myself. It's just really terrifying that you're ever going to slip back into it. That's still something that I'm really working on, because I think that's really hard. It's really hard to feel sad and not feel completely defeated by it."
Fans sympathized, agreeing that young actors often pay too high a price when achieving fame so early in life.
Although Maisie and her character Arya Stark have been long-time fan favorites the young actress has always had to face intense criticism on social media. No matter how bad it got through some times Williams could never fully turn away from it.
"It got to me a lot, because there's just a constant feed in your back pocket of what people think of you. It gets to a point where you're almost craving something negative so you can sit in a hole of sadness, and it's really bizarre the way it starts to consume you."
But true fans came out in support for Williams, applauding her for opening up and speaking candidly about mental health.
As the show that made her a star finally comes to an end fans will undoubtedly miss Maisie and the amazing character she brought to life.
But as for Williams the 22-year-old seems ready for life after Game Of Thrones.
"People keep asking me like, 'The show is going to end, what do you want?' And I'm like, honestly I want a normal life with people that I love and people that I know are true and care about me. And I don't want any of this crazy crazy world because it's not worth it."
Maisie Williams' Instagram Post About How She Feels After Her Big Moment On 'Game Of Thrones' Is A Total Mood
Maisie Williams took to Instagram to post a response to her character's pivotal moment on this Sunday's episode of Game of Thrones, and we love her for it.
If you haven't seen the third episode of the eight season of GoT, titled "The Long Night," there are spoilers ahead!
If you have seen the episode however, you know what happened. Arya Stark (Williams) took down the Night King––and saved the world––after she knifed him with a blade forged from Valyrian steel.
That moment took social media by storm, and Williams soon responded, sharing of her co-star Sophie Turner, who plays Sansa Stark, singing "Crank That" by Soulja Boy.She even included a photo of the Night King himself:
Yeah, we'd feel like rocking out too if we'd just managed to save the entire world from extinction––and fans loved it.
You bet it was!
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That's what she said!
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We can only imagine what's in store for us next week.
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Arya's the assassin of our dreams!
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Ours too, to be frank.
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It always has been.
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And here's HBO with what we're all thinking:
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We have no idea how this Sunday's episode can possibly beat this last one, but we're 100 percent here for it.
'Game Of Thrones' Star Maisie Williams Is Making A Short Film, And You Could Be A Part Of It
If you want to work with Arya Stark, a wonderful opportunity awaits, and it will not come at the cost of another's life.
Now that Maisie Williams is retiring her assassination duties in Game of Thrones – which begins its final season on April 14th – the young actress is enlisting you for her next project.
In 2018, the 21-year-old co-founded Daisie, a networking app, with film producer Dom Santry. The entrepreneur is endeavoring to create a short film and needs your help.
She and actor Bill Millner created a short promotional clip announcing they are looking for people from all entertainment industry backgrounds, including script-writers.
"Previous to Daisie, success in the creative industries was wholly dependent on luck and 'ins' to the industry," Williams said of her networking app that will give newcomers great exposure and opportunities.
"Daisie introduces a new way into the creative world; through connections made organically and the natural development of your skills, propelling individuals to the next level."
Maisie Williams and Bill Milner are making a short film. But they can’t do it alone. Apply to join their Daisie te… https://t.co/wl8G64NjGU— Daisie (@Daisie) 1554747971.0
As artists inspiring other artists, Williams and Millner are hoping to work with you.
"We started our own production company about two years ago with the hopes of creating our own projects."
"We are going to be building a short film, and the best thing about it is we don't even know what it's going to be yet — because we want the script to come from you guys."
Need a creative outlet? The choice is yours.
pick ussss 💗💜 https://t.co/69htQTWhen— Maisie Williams (@Maisie Williams) 1554750266.0
Budding artists are eagerly answering the call.
@daisie This is mad! Going to get my application in ASAP. So much love for this ❤️❤️— Tobias_snow (@Tobias_snow) 1554810835.0
@Maisie_Williams it sounds like so much fun!!! can’t wait to follow the journey aaah— klara (@klara) 1554750496.0
@Maisie_Williams I pick you! Will you pick me? 💗💜 Older American woman (U.S. and bilingual with English and Spani… https://t.co/3uMk6hRz33— 🍑🆘TheDolphin🐬✌💕Ⓥ🌱 (@🍑🆘TheDolphin🐬✌💕Ⓥ🌱) 1554759539.0
Prospective applicants who are not from the U.K. are bummed, as the clip ended with: "Calling London Creators."
@daisie I’m a pretty good scenic artist but I’m in the states... ☹️— Michael Rozell (@Michael Rozell) 1554805230.0
@Maisie_Williams i would love to work on a project like that, i'm so sad that i don't live in London...— noemeow🎹 (@noemeow🎹) 1554750993.0
@daisie Oh nice, I'm interested! I live close enough to London! Well..... London, Canada, that is... Damn, maybe th… https://t.co/lsQfGG6156— Nikola Korolija (@Nikola Korolija) 1554778458.0
Working remotely could be an option, so why not throw that out there? This user did.
Applicants who are not qualified for a position are still proud of Williams's next chapter.
@Maisie_Williams proud of you! it’s amazing that you’re giving so many creative people that might not get their big… https://t.co/6tciwzdVAh— ℳ (@ℳ) 1554751058.0
@Maisie_Williams YOU ARE AWESOME LOVE U❤— Sonia Rodríguez (@Sonia Rodríguez) 1554754206.0
The short film is one of four initiatives from Daisie's LDN Creates program that inspires Londoners to share their visions and work together to move forward in the industry.
Williams and Millner are looking for DOP, Videographer, Editors, Assistant Director, Sound Engineer, Actors, Writers, Composer, Camera Assistants, Gaffer, Colourist.
"It's our hope that 'Made with Daisie' becomes synonymous with groundbreaking and impactful creativity at all levels, in all fields, and from creators of all kinds," says Daisie's website.
If you are a creative in London who is interested in the short film project you can sumbit an application by visiting their website.