Maisie “Arya Stark” Williams Opens Up about Her Mental Health Journey and says She ‘Hated’ Herself

Health & FitnessAugust 19, 2019

Maisie Williams revealed something surprising about herself – she admitted to lying in bed every night usually at 11:00 pm, reciting something to herself. No, it’s not the names of the people whose eyes she would shut forever, just like her Game of Thrones character Arya, but rather the things she hated most about herself.

The actress opened up about the sensitive issue of her mental health struggles and journey during an interview on the podcast ‘Happy Place, with Fearne Cotton.’ Williams admitted that had difficulties keeping up with the persona of being a ‘teacher’s pet’, not in school but on the fame spectrum.

The actress explained she tried, in the past years, to appear like a grownup who does all the right things, a young actress who, unlike many others before her, would not have her life be ruined by fame. Then one day she realized she’s not happy pretending to be all those things, so she dropped the act and started to have more fun in her life.

Nonetheless, even if she has felt better and living her best life after her realization, there is still a long ‘mental health journey’ ahead. She has yet to come to terms with self-love, because even now, she still does talk to herself at night, just to say all the things she loves about her.

It’s not only Williams who has struggled with her mental health, her Game of Thrones co-star and best friend Sophie Turner also admitted recently that she found it hard to go through regular issues teenagers go through in front of the public. She mentioned having issues about metabolism, weight gain, and skin problems while she was in front of the camera.

Obviously, growing up in the limelight can prove to be challenging, with experiences that will either break young actors and actresses or make them. Thankfully for both, it looks like the ‘winter’ in their young lives is almost over.