GoT's Maisie Williams Tried Her Hardest to Keep Arya Book-Accurate
Without a doubt, Maisie Williams was an excellent casting choice.
Adapting books, particularly fantasy novels, is no easy task. It's not just about capturing the book's essence; every narrative element and visual detail is scrutinised by devoted fans who are quick to lash out at any deviations.
Many recall the criticism directed at the last few seasons of Game of Thrones. However, one aspect of George R. R. Martin's fantasy epic that fans never disputed was Maisie Williams' portrayal of Arya Stark. It's no surprise, given that the actress consistently remained faithful to the source material.
Arya's Portrayal
Reflecting on her years on set, Maisie Williams expressed immense satisfaction with her role and said she doesn't miss GoT.
'I don't think it's healthy [to miss GoT], because I loved it,' Williams told GQ. 'I look at it so fondly, and I look at it with such pride. But why would I want to make myself feel sad about the greatest thing that ever happened to me? I don't want to associate that with feelings of pain.'
While she admitted her bond with the character wasn't always smooth, this further attests to her dedication. Right from the start, she showed meticulous attention to the nuances of Ned Stark's youngest daughter.
Williams' Dedication
Although Williams is right-handed, Arya is left-handed in the books. This discrepancy presented a challenge, which the actress embraced in the spirit of fidelity to the text.
'I found the sword fighting difficult because of the left-handed business,' Maisie shared in the book Inside HBO's Game of Thrones by writer and exec Bryan Cogman (via Slashfilm). 'I'd just got the part, and I remember my mum was out in the garden reading the book. She says, "By the way, Arya's left-handed." And I said, "Oh, that's going to be hard." And she said, "Well, I don't think they'll make you do it left-handed." And I said, "But it'd be cool if I did."'
'We heard about all the people on the Internet wanting the show to be like the books, so I thought I would try it and see how it goes. Learning the routines was a lot like learning a piece of choreography, it's just that you have a sword in your hand.'
Not only is it incredibly difficult for non-ambidextrous people to do anything with their non-dominant hand, it's also incredibly difficult to choreograph with a sword in your hand. We can’t help but admire the actress’s dedication to her craft!