Margaret Constance “Maisie” Williams became a household name playing Arya Stark in HBO’s Game of Thrones. Born on April 15, 1997, in Bristol, England, she transformed from a small-town dancer into a global acting phenomenon. At 28 years old in 2025, she’s built a career that spans film, television, entrepreneurship, and climate activism.
Standing at just 5’1″ (155 cm), Williams proved that height doesn’t limit ambition. With an estimated net worth of $6 million, she’s become one of Britain’s most versatile young talents. Her journey from a council house in Clutton, Somerset to Hollywood shows what raw talent and determination can achieve.
Quick Facts About Maisie Williams
| Bio/Wiki | Details |
| Full Name | Margaret Constance Williams |
| Nickname | Maisie |
| Date of Birth | April 15, 1997 |
| Age (2025) | 28 years old |
| Height | 5’1″ (155 cm) |
| Birthplace | Bristol, England |
| Nationality | British |
| Profession | Actress, Entrepreneur, Producer |
| Famous For | Arya Stark in Game of Thrones |
| Net Worth | Approximately $6 million |
| Relationship Status | Single (as of February 2023) |
| Children | None |
Maisie Williams Early Life & Personal Background
Maisie Williams grew up as the youngest of four children in Clutton, Somerset. Her mother, Hilary Frances (née Pitt), worked as a university course administrator before dedicating herself to Maisie’s career. After her parents divorced when she was four months old, Maisie lived with her mother, stepfather, and siblings James, Beth, and Ted in a three-bedroom council house.
The nickname “Maisie” came from a character in the British comic strip The Perishers. She attended Clutton Primary School and Norton Hill School in Midsomer Norton. Most of her childhood was spent training at Sue Hill Dance in Radstock, where she studied ballet, pointe, tap, street, freestyle, gymnastics, and trampolining.
Williams dreamed of becoming a professional dancer, not an actress. She later transferred to Bath Dance College to study performing arts. At 13, her mother convinced her to audition for Game of Thrones, even though it meant missing a school farm trip—it was only her second audition ever, and it changed everything.
Breakthrough & Stardom
Landing the role of Arya Stark at 13 launched Maisie Williams into global fame. HBO’s Game of Thrones, based on George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire novels, premiered in 2011. Williams appeared in all eight seasons, with the finale airing in May 2019.
The role demanded intense physical preparation and commitment. Williams performed left-handed throughout the series despite being naturally right-handed to stay in character. She handled most of her own stunts and fight sequences, building stamina over months for demanding episodes like “The Long Night.”
Her height created memorable on-set dynamics. Fighting Gwendoline Christie (who played Brienne of Tarth) at 6’3″ meant choreographing around a dramatic height difference. The contrast between the two warriors became part of what made their scenes compelling to audiences worldwide.
Recognition arrived quickly for the young actress. At 15, Williams won the Portal Award for Best Young Actor and Best Supporting Actress – Television, becoming the youngest actress to achieve this double honor. As reported by BBC Radio 1 (Oct 2013) and Empire Magazine (Mar 2015), Williams earned the Teen Award for Best British Actor and later the Empire Hero Award.
Williams received two Emmy nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2016 and 2019. She also earned a BAFTA TV Awards nomination for “Must-see moment” for “The Long Night” episode. In a Variety review (May 2019), critic Daniel D’Addario wrote that Williams “entered the show as a child with minimal experience, but swiftly proved herself a very gifted performer.”
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Maisie Williams Film & Television Career
Maisie Williams expanded beyond Game of Thrones with carefully chosen roles. Her lead performance in The Falling (2014), a British coming-of-age mystery, earned the London Film Critics’ Circle Award for Young Performer of the Year. In his Variety review of The Falling (Apr 2015), Guy Lodge described Williams as “prodigiously gifted,” delivering a “brilliantly articulated… bristling, often spikily funny performance.”
In 2015, Williams guest-starred in four episodes of Doctor Who Series 9 as Ashildr, a Viking girl granted immortality. That same year, she starred in Channel 4’s Cyberbully, a docudrama about online harassment where she carried nearly the entire film solo. The Guardian critic Filipa Jodelka (Jan 2015) called her performance in Cyberbully a “tour-de-force.”
Williams co-starred in The New Mutants (2020) as Rahne Sinclair/Wolfsbane, a Scottish mutant wrestling with her religious upbringing. The New York Times review (Aug 2020) praised her portrayal as displaying “endearing sincerity.” The film featured a same-sex relationship between Williams’ character and Blu Hunt’s Danielle Moonstar, which critics noted grounded the story with genuine emotion.
Her stage debut came in 2016 with The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13¾, playing Pandora to positive reviews. In 2018, Williams starred in Lauren Gunderson’s I and You at Hampstead Theatre in London from October 18 to November 24. The production was later broadcast free on Instagram, reaching audiences who couldn’t attend in person.
Williams also voiced Goona, described as a “Bronze Age fearless rebel tomboy football enthusiast,” in Nick Park’s animated film Early Man (2018). She appeared in the psychological thriller The Owners (2020) alongside Sylvester McCoy and Rita Tushingham. The six-part dark comedy Two Weeks to Live (2020) showcased her range as Kim Noakes, a woman raised in isolation who believes the apocalypse is imminent.
Extreme Transformation: The New Look
Maisie Williams took on her most demanding role in Apple TV+’s The New Look (2024). She portrayed Catherine Dior, Christian Dior’s younger sister and French Resistance hero during World War II. The transformation required extreme physical preparation under medical supervision.
Williams shaved her head and lost approximately 25 pounds (12 kilograms) with regular heart rate monitoring and blood tests. Williams told Harper’s Bazaar UK: “I was eating very little, meditating all the time, burning candles and incense in my apartment.” The process included waking at 4 a.m. for boiling-hot salt baths to sweat out fluid before filming.
Williams’ “whole life moved to Paris” for the yearlong shoot. Every night during production, she listened to the audiobook of Miss Dior: A Story of Courage and Couture by Justine Picardie. The book remained beside her bed even after filming concluded.
At 26 during filming, Williams was the exact age as Catherine Dior when arrested and tortured by the Gestapo in July 1944. The series depicts Catherine’s work with covert network F2, gathering intelligence for the Allies before her arrest. The production has been renewed for a second season.
Pistol: Embracing Punk
In Danny Boyle’s FX limited series Pistol (2022), Maisie Williams portrayed punk icon Jordan (Pamela Rooke). Jordan was the archetypal subversive model who co-created the punk fashion style with her distinctive Vivienne Westwood-designed outfits. The series adapted Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones’ memoir Lonely Boy: Tales from a Sex Pistol.
The role challenged Williams to push personal boundaries with full-frontal scenes. In an interview with GQ Style, Williams recalled telling the production team: “I want to be in this show because I’m the best person to do this, not because I’m the only girl who’ll take her top off.” Williams understood Jordan used clothing and physicality as defiant political statements that flipped the male gaze back on itself.
Critics praised Williams’ transformation. The Guardian and Vogue both highlighted the episode where she cycles through her seaside hometown in a transparent PVC top, calling it an authentic tribute to punk icon Jordan.
Maisie Williams Entrepreneurship
Maisie Williams co-founded Daisie in August 2018 with Dom Santry to democratize creative industries. The multi-media social networking platform helps artists showcase work, discover projects, and collaborate without traditional gatekeepers. Unlike Instagram or Facebook, users grow through “chains”—collaborative work—rather than follower counts or likes.
According to Wired (May 2019), Daisie raised £2 million ($2.5 million) in seed funding led by Founders Fund. Within eleven days of public launch, it reached 100,000 users, with 70% being female creators. The platform operates from Shoreditch, East End of London, and exclusively serves individual creators, not companies.
Williams presented at TEDx Manchester 2019 (“Don’t strive to be famous, strive to be talented,” Feb 2019), discussing how Daisie empowers young creators. She positioned Daisie as giving artists control over their careers without conforming to industry expectations. The iOS app scored 4 out of 5 on AppAdvice for its user-friendly design.
Williams founded Daisy Chain Productions in 2016 with Dom Santry and Bill Milner. The company develops UK-originated content with emphasis on youth talent development. Their first production was Stealing Silver (2017), a short film Williams executive produced and starred in alongside Ronald Pickup.
She later formed Rapt Productions with filmmaker Lowri Roberts. They executive produced Salvation Has No Name, a 15-minute stop-motion animation exploring xenophobia and faith during the refugee crisis. Filming began in 2020 at Aardman Studios, with festival screenings scheduled for 2022.
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Activism & Advocacy
Maisie Williams serves as WWF’s first global ambassador for climate and nature, appointed in April 2021. In November 2021, she delivered the opening address at Sir David Attenborough’s The Green Planet premiere at Glasgow’s Imax cinema during COP26. She’s cited “activist groups like Extinction Rebellion” as inspiration in a Dazed Digital interview.
Williams is a global ambassador for Ric O’Barry’s Dolphin Project, joining protests against dolphin hunts worldwide. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she donated £50,000 ($62,500) to Bristol Animal Rescue Centre. She actively supports Greenpeace, WaterAid, anti-bullying campaigns, and Black Lives Matter.
In April 2025, her production project Nora’s Ark was selected for the Ffilm Cymru Wales Climate Stories Fund. Williams is participating in a four-month research and development program running through August 2025. This climate storytelling initiative directly connects to her environmental advocacy work.
Williams collaborated with Zoe Sugg and Adwoa Aboah on a limited-edition period bag for WaterAid’s Fempowered subscription service. The project tackles period taboos while funding solutions to period poverty globally. She’s used her platform to encourage young people to vote and stay politically engaged.
In April 2021, H&M announced Williams as their global sustainability ambassador to promote circular fashion models. The partnership received immediate backlash from activists accusing both parties of greenwashing. Critics argued the fast-fashion brand’s recycling efforts didn’t address worker treatment or truly reduce environmental harm.
Commercial Work & Brand Partnerships
Maisie Williams has partnered with major brands while maintaining her authentic image. In summer 2020, she became ambassador for Cartier’s Pasha de Cartier watch. Vogue’s Janelle Okwodu noted Williams has “cultivated a quirky, youthful style,” while The Daily Telegraph highlighted her “street style” appeal to the fashion world.
In 2015, Williams delivered a feminist speech at the Always “Like a Girl” campaign launch in New York targeting Generation Z. On February 2, 2020, she sang “Let It Go” from Frozen in an Audi commercial that aired during Super Bowl LIV. The spot reached millions of viewers during one of television’s biggest events.
Williams appeared in Apple’s MacBook “Made in the UK” campaign in July 2020 alongside Michaela Coel, Grayson Perry, Aardman Studios, and Labrinth. The campaign celebrated British creative innovation across film, art, music, and animation. Williams represented the intersection of traditional and digital storytelling.
Maisie Williams Personal Life
Maisie Williams dated fashion entrepreneur Reuben Selby from approximately 2017 to February 2023. Selby co-founded Contact, a modeling platform where Williams served as Creative Strategist. From 2020, Williams collaborated on his sustainable genderless fashion line, which debuted during Paris Fashion Week at the Ritz Paris courtyard.
Williams confirmed their breakup via Instagram in February 2023 after six years together, reports People. She was previously linked to YouTuber Caspar Lee (circa 2014-2016) and racecar driver Ollie Jackson (2015-2018). In March 2023, sources reported Williams joined exclusive dating app Raya, emphasizing fitness and taking things slow.
Williams has spoken openly about growing up on screen. In a same 2021 GQ UK interview, she explained: “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 piece of me that the world celebrated.” The show required her to appear boyish, including wearing a chest strap during her mid-teen years.
Williams jokes about fashion challenges at her height. “Being five feet tall it is almost impossible to wear something straight off the hanger,” she’s said publicly. She started the podcast Frank Film Club in 2021 with filmmaker Lowri Roberts and casting director Hannah Marie Williams, reviewing films they’ve recently watched.
Current Projects (2025)
Maisie Williams’ production project Nora’s Ark was selected for the Ffilm Cymru Wales Climate Stories Fund in April 2025. She’s participating in a four-month research and development program running through August 2025 focused on climate storytelling. This aligns perfectly with her role as WWF’s global ambassador for climate and nature.
In November 2024, George R.R. Martin hinted at a new collaboration with Williams. This suggests her connection to the Game of Thrones universe may continue in some form. Details about the project type, format, or release timeline remain undisclosed publicly.
The New Look Season 2 has been ordered by Apple TV+ following the first season’s reception. Production timeline and whether Williams will return given her character’s arc remain unannounced. Williams continues balancing acting with production work through Rapt Productions and environmental advocacy.
Maisie Williams Complete Awards & Recognition
Maisie Williams has earned recognition across television, film, and youth achievement categories. Her awards began at 15 when she won the Portal Award for Best Young Actor and Best Supporting Actress – Television in 2012, becoming the youngest actress to achieve both honors simultaneously.
Major Awards and Nominations:
- 2012: Portal Award for Best Young Actor and Best Supporting Actress – Television
- 2013: BBC Radio 1 Teen Award for Best British Actor
- 2014: EWwy Award for Best Supporting Actress, Drama
- 2014: London Film Critics’ Circle Award for Young Performer of the Year
- 2014: Evening Standard British Film Award Rising Star
- 2014: European Shooting Stars Award at 65th Berlin International Film Festival
- 2015: Empire Hero Award
- 2015: Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Young Actor in a Television Series
- 2016: Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
- 2018: MTV Movie & TV Awards nomination for Best Performance in a Show
- 2019: Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Younger Actor in a Television Series
- 2019: MTV Movie & TV Awards nominations for Best Hero and Best Fight
- 2019: People’s Choice Awards nominations for The Female TV Star and The Drama TV Star
- 2019: Second Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
- 2020: BAFTA TV Awards nomination for Must-see moment category
Game of Thrones casting director Nina Gold described Williams as an “old soul” when filming began at 12. Co-star Sylvester McCoy predicted: “She’s full of energy – a little bubbly ball of fire and creativity… I wouldn’t be at all surprised if she became a director and a producer… She’s got all those abilities and that intelligence and the knowledge of the business.”
Conclusion
Maisie Williams has grown from a council house kid in Somerset to a multi-faceted creative force in entertainment and activism. Her eight-season portrayal of Arya Stark established her as one of Britain’s most talented young actresses. At 28, she’s proven herself across film, television, theater, entrepreneurship, and climate advocacy.
Williams’ commitment extends beyond performance into meaningful action. Her production companies focus on youth opportunities and storytelling that matters. With an estimated net worth of $6 million as confirmed by Celebrity Net worth and ongoing projects through 2025, she continues building a career driven by authenticity rather than fame.
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FAQ’s About Maisie Williams
How tall is Maisie Williams?
Maisie Williams stands at 5’1″ (155 cm).
What is Maisie Williams’ real name?
Her full name is Margaret Constance Williams; “Maisie” is a childhood nickname.
Is Maisie Williams married?
No, she’s single as of February 2023 after her breakup with Reuben Selby.
What is Maisie Williams’ net worth in 2025?
Her estimated net worth is approximately $6 million.
Did Maisie Williams do her own stunts in Game of Thrones?
Yes, she performed most stunts and fight scenes left-handed despite being naturally right-handed.
What project is Maisie Williams working on in 2025?
Her production Nora’s Ark was selected for the Ffilm Cymru Wales Climate Stories Fund running through August 2025.
Did Maisie Williams receive Emmy nominations?
Yes, she received two Emmy nominations in 2016 and 2019 for Game of Thrones.
What is Daisie?
Daisie is a social networking platform for artists co-founded by Williams in 2018 that focuses on collaboration over follower counts.
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