'Game of Thrones' star Maisie Williams blasts sexualisation of young actresses

Maisie Williams

Maisie Williams has blasted the sexualisation of young actresses in Hollywood, and says she feels relieved that it hasn't happened to her. The 'Game of Thrones' actress says it is unfair that teen stars are "forced to play characters who are a lot more mature" and she feels lucky that this hasn't happened to her, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

"I have been really lucky. In that I play characters who aren't necessarily the eye candy. It's hard for young actresses who still feel like scrappy teenagers but are sort of forced to play characters who are a lot more mature, because, you know, 'young sexy woman' really sells in Hollywood," Williams told Sunday Times Style magazine.

Williams landed her role of Arya Stark on the hit TV show "Game of Thrones" when she was just 12 and says she was a lot more fearless at that age than she is now at 20.

"At 12, I was fearless and didn't care so, I really enjoyed it. But then, as each season passed, the pressure built and it became a little destructive. Everyone goes through that dip in confidence. That also came with puberty. It all fizzled out a bit, and I lost my confidence and now I'm slowly starting to get it back again.

"But the first two years were weird. I was having the time of my life, but I look back and I think I wasn't really very happy because I didn't have many friends. I had left school and I was working a lot and it was a strange time.

"I remember in maybe season two or three, other cast members coming up to me and saying, 'Your life is going to change', and to me that wasn't exciting. I was, like, 'I don't want it to change, I quite enjoy my life'," she said.