Five Fast Facts About Game of Thrones Star Maisie Williams

Maisie Williams plays fan favorite Arya Stark on Game of Thrones and fans have been able to watch the actress grow up onscreen. After landing the coveted role when she was just a little girl, Williams has gone on to work on other projects and establish herself as a true force in the industry.

From where she got her unusual name to her special bond with Sophie Turner, here are five fast facts about Williams!

What’s In A Name?
Maisie’s real name is actually Margaret Constance Williams. She decided to go by Maisie after her favorite character in a British comic strip called The Perishers.

Big Break
While most actors on Game of Thrones had other jobs before landing a role on the HBO series, this was actually Maisie’s first ever professional acting gig. She won the coveted part of Arya Stark when she was just 12 years old.

Ink Sisters
Williams and her onscreen sister Sophie Turner (Sansa) got matching tattoos together. The tattoo is the date they both landed their roles on Game of Thrones: August 7, 2009.

Ambidextrous
The 22-year-old actually learned to write and fight with a sword left-handed because in the book her character Arya is left handed. The actress wanted to make sure she stayed as true to the book as possible.

High School Dropout
Williams decided to drop out of school when she was just 14 so she could focus on acting full time. Her parents supported her decision, especially since she was so busy working on Game of Thrones.