Maisie Williams Talks Nudity in Sex Pistols Show 'Pistol'

Most TV viewers recognize Maisie Williams as Arya Stark, the tomboyish and fiercely independent young girl from the massively successful HBO show, Game of Thrones. Now, fans are going to see a very different side to her in the upcoming limited series from FX on Hulu, Pistol.

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Playing Jordan, the model who assisted designer Vivienne Westwood during the rise of the Sex Pistols, is a major departure for the 24-year-old actress — in part because of the nudity associated with the role. She was tipped off about this aspect of the part by casting directors during the audition process, who forewarned her of what the character required. That made her think twice about even auditioning for the role “because of everything that happens in the industry and all the horror stories” that she’s heard about in the past. Williams wanted her acting skills to be the reason she nailed the part.

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“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,” she said in an interview with British GQ magazine.

So, Williams decided to take control in a way that felt empowering for her after being told by the casting directors that “Jordan was a political statement,” and that her “entire ethos was turning the male gaze in on itself” and being “overtly sexual in a way that made other people feel ashamed.” That reassurance reframed how she saw the character — Williams suddenly felt compelled to “make other people feel uncomfortable” by putting Jordan’s nudity front and center.

Williams’ take on embodying Jordan was to show up to her second audition with director Danny Boyle wearing a sheer top with “no bra underneath,” a choice the Game of Thrones star tells British GQ “worked out,” proudly sharing: “I got the part.”

Despite the fact that this situation sounds entirely within Williams’ control, we can’t help but think of those same “horror stories” the actress first referenced when she balked at the news that the role would require “a lot of nudity.” While Williams sounds empowered and confident in her decision, we share her hope that talent can remain the primary concern in the casting process, especially for young women — and that no one ever feels pressured to show nudity in an audition setting for less than purely artistic reasons.

Before you go, click here to see actors who have spoken out about pressure to get naked for a role.

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