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Game of Thrones is a show that changed the face of the entertainment industry. The fantasy series utilized cutting-edge special effects and a dramatic storyline to create a show that became wildly popular with fans of all ages.

Game of Thrones also featured a star-studded cast, with some well-known performers along with some brand-new faces. Maisie Williams was one of these new actors, a young thespian who made her on-screen debut as Arya Stark. As Williams admitted in a 2016 interview, she never expected much to come from her role in the show—and in the beginning, all she really wanted was to buy one rather modest electronic. 

Maisie Williams became famous for her role as Arya Stark in ‘Game of Thrones’

Maisie Williams as Arya Stark on Game of Thrones | HBO

The character of Arya Stark undergoes one of the biggest transformations in Game of Thrones. At the beginning of the series, Arya is just a precocious young girl who rebels against the traditional demands placed on girls and women. However, after Arya witnesses acts of shocking brutality in the capital city of King’s Landing, she is changed forever – and when her father, Ned Stark is beheaded, she determines to take her revenge on the people who perpetrated his murder.

As played by Maisie Williams, Arya becomes not just a fierce young woman over the course of the series trajectory, but a battle-hardened warrior who will do whatever it takes to survive. Fans and critics alike praised the character development behind Arya, and gave a great deal of credit to Williams, who managed to bring grit, humor, and intensity to the role. 

What did Maisie Williams want to purchase with her ‘Game of Thrones’ money?

Maisie Williams was born in 1997, and at an early age, she developed an affinity for the performing arts – although when she was very young, she found herself drawn to professional dance, rather than acting. When she was just 12 years old, Williams was cast as Arya Stark in Game of Thrones – a role that would have challenged even the most experienced actor. It was, however, Williams’ very first acting gig. 

Williams went on to become a huge star, with the character of Arya easily ranking as one of the most popular characters on Game of Thrones. Williams’ success was totally unexpected, however, as the young woman revealed in a 2016 interview with The Guardian. Williams stated that when she went to the audition, she was initially only hoping to make enough money to buy a new laptop: “The thing I was really obsessed about was whether I would earn enough money to buy myself a laptop. My stepdad, Gary, just looked at me and said: ‘I think there’ll be enough for a couple of laptops, Maisie.'” Williams admitted that after she started to experience success on GoT, she “could pay for my own dancing lessons and school trips, all those things my mum had always paid for. I was able to help out.”

What’s next for Maisie Williams?

Game of Thrones went off the air in 2019 – and while fans had mixed thoughts on the finale, fans loved Williams’ performance as Arya. In the years since Game of Thrones ended, Williams has been involved in a wide variety of projects, including lending her voice to the animated series Gen:Lock and the TV show Two Weeks to Live. A vocal environmental activist who regularly speaks out on behalf of causes she believes in, Williams can be seen next in the biographical drama miniseries Pistol, which is set to premiere in May 2022. 

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