Maisie Williams thought Arya Stark was queer until Game of Thrones sex scene

Game of Thrones star Maisie William has said that she was shocked by a sex scene written into the show, as it suggested her character Arya Stark wasn’t queer.

Maisie Williams played Arya Stark in 59 episodes of Game of Thrones. The character was the youngest daughter of Ned and Catelyn Stark, wielded a steel sword named ‘Needle,’ and frequently flipped gender stereotypes on their head, even disguising herself as a boy for a portion of the series.

The role saw Williams twice nominated for an Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Emmy. It also helped her launch a successful TV and film career, with Williams appearing in Doctor Who, The New Mutants, and most recently punk drama Pistol.

But the actress said a decision by the writers of Game of Thrones took her by surprise, and fundamentally changed the way she saw the character.

What did Maisie Williams say about Arya’s sex scene?

Speaking to Teen Vogue, Williams said she had always assumed that Arya Stark identified as queer. Until that is, she received a script in which the character sleeps with a man.

• Read More: All the Game of Thrones easter eggs in Elden Ring

The episode in question – A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms – aired during Season Eight, and saw Stark have sex with Gendry Baratheon, played by Joe Dempsie.

“The first time that I was surprised by Arya I guess was probably in the final series where she whips off her clothes and sleeps with Gendry,” Williams tells Teen Vogue. “I thought that Arya was queer, you know? So…yeah. That was a surprise.”

Williams initially thought Game of Thrones sex scene was a joke

In a previous interview, Williams said she thought she was being pranked by the writers when she first read the scene. It was only when she met up with her cast-mates that Williams realised the scene was serious.

• Read More: We Can All Agree That Arya Stark Is Actually A Lesbian, Right?

Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, the actress said: “I got to the read-through and I’m reading the scene and thought, ‘Oh, we’re actually going to do this. When do I shoot this? I need to go to the gym.’ A whole list of things.”

Game of Thrones ended in 2019, but spin-off House of the Dragon hits HBO on August 21, 2022.