Seven years after Game of Thrones concluded, Maisie Williams still isn't ready to close the door on Arya Stark. In a candid new interview, the actress who brought the fierce, faceless assassin to life reflected on the role that defined her career—and hinted that a return isn't entirely off the table.
Speaking with Collider while promoting her upcoming role in Practical Magic 2, Williams admitted that it took time to fully appreciate the cultural juggernaut she was part of. "I think that over the last seven years, the biggest gift has been being able to look back and feel immense pride in what we did," she said. "It was such a surreal experience to live."
At just 12 years old when she was cast, Williams grew up on screen as Arya, evolving from a scrappy tomboy into a lethal warrior who helped save Westeros. But the show's overwhelming popularity made it hard to process in the moment. "Everyone spoke about it in such a hyperbolic way that at a certain point you just can’t listen anymore," she explained. Fans would approach her with heartfelt stories—"My baby’s called Arya," they'd say—but Williams found herself unable to truly absorb the praise until after the series ended.
That distance allowed her to finally watch the show on her own terms. "It wasn’t until the show ended and I had some space, and I watched it, and then I felt my own feelings about it," she said. "Now I can look back and think, 'God, that was one of the most amazing times of my life.'"
Williams also spoke about the isolating nature of such massive fame. "It was global success in a way that doesn’t happen that often, so it’s hard to find people to talk to about it," she noted, adding that even fellow actors couldn't quite relate to the scale of what she experienced.
Now, with years of perspective, Williams has nothing but love for Arya. "I don’t just see it for that. I see it for the art that we made," she said. "I feel proud of Arya. I think she’s the coolest character ever, and I’m so grateful that I got to play her."
When pressed on whether she'd ever reprise the role, Williams offered a playful, non-committal answer: "Maybe. I don’t know. It changes every day. Tomorrow I might say no, and the day after I might say yes. But today I say maybe."
Arya's story ended with her sailing west of Westeros, leaving plenty of room for a potential spinoff. While HBO continues to expand the Game of Thrones universe, Williams' openness—however tentative—keeps the door ajar for fans hoping to see Arya again.
For more on the ever-growing world of fantasy TV, check out our exclusive look at Little Doors and Chris Carter's plans for The X-Files.
