Maisie Williams 'lost part of her childhood' after joining Game of Thrones at 12
The star revealed she put "immense pressure" on herself when she joined the cast of the hit HBO show, aged only 12
Game of Thrones star Maisie Williams says she lost a part of her childhood after joining the hit show before her teens.
Maisie, who was still 12 when she won her part as feisty tomboy Arya Stark, said: “I put myself under the most immense pressure to never say anything silly or never act like a child.
“I really lost a part of myself – I felt ancient and I had no fun. Any fun I did have wasn’t wholesome lovely fun, it was destructive and not good for you.”
The one thing it did prepare her for, she says, was lockdown.
Maisie, 23, explained: “My whole adolescence I felt I couldn't hang out with my friends.
“I wasn’t at school. Now all of a sudden everyone in the whole world was doing the same thing.
“It felt really nice. I’ve loved lockdown. There was no FOMO.”
Filming on Game of thrones ended 18 months ago and Maisie says she has finally learned not to be so hard on herself.
She told the Plot Twist podcast: “Being a teenager is hard, then I was also on this show.
“I never knew who I was but I’ve come out the other side now. I’m not that different to the girl I was trying to be – but I was having a crisis.
“Once the show was over a lot of pressure was off. I’ve got to a point now where I forgive myself for the person I was. I’ve become a lot happier with the person I am.
“Fitting in isn’t worth it. Be a kid, allow yourself to live freely. Make mistakes and be silly.”
Bristol-born Maisie, who recently starred in Sky comedy Two Weeks To Live alongside Fleabag’s Sian Clifford, hopes to find something very different for her next project.
She said: “If I hadn’t got on Game of Thrones I’d have kept dancing. I’d love to perform in the West End.
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