Maisie Williams is sharing her feelings about playing Arya Stark on HBO’s Game of Thrones, a role and series that the English actress was cast in at the age of 12. As the show ran for eight seasons, Williams essentially grew up on television and experienced some coming-of-age moments on set, which contributed to complicated feelings about the character.

Playing Jordan, the model who assisted designer Vivienne Westwood during the rise of the Sex Pistols, is a major departure for the 24-year-old actress — in part because of the nudity associated with the role. She was tipped off about this aspect of the part by casting directors during the audition process, who forewarned her of what the character required. That made her think twice about even auditioning for the role “because of everything that happens in the industry and all the horror stories” that she’s heard about in the past. Williams wanted her acting skills to be the reason she nailed the part.

Margaret Constance “Maisie” Williams is an English actress who made her acting debut in 2011 as Arya Stark, a lead character in the HBO epic medieval fantasy drama series Game of Thrones .

Born: April 15, 1997 (age 24), Bristol, England
Height: 5’1″ (1.55m)
Partner: Reuben Selby
Parents: Hilary Pitt Frances