HBO’s Game of Thrones returns for its seventh season later this year. It’s expected to be the beloved fantasy show’s final one. Now, star Maisie Williams, who plays Arya Stark, has spoken about saying goodbye to the show and making sure she does “justice” to her final scenes as Arya.
Speaking to ET (via GamesRadar), Williams said Game of Thrones has been something of a security blanket or safety net for her as an actress. “If I haven’t worked, or if I haven’t landed a role, I never beat myself up too much, because I’ve always got Game of Thrones,” she said.
She added: “To not have that around is going to be really strange, but it’s also exciting. It means I can now shape my career and I’m not tied down to anything, and I can really make bold decisions.”
Regarding her character, Williams said she wants to give Arya a proper sendoff.
“I’m just trying to do the last few scenes that I have justice,” she said. “I’m just trying to shape Arya the way that I have been so far, and give her a nice arc to end with, and hope the people are happy with it.”
According to a report, the Game of Thrones lead actors received pay increases for Season 8 to $500,000 per episode. However, Williams’ contract was reportedly not finalized at the time.
Earlier this month, Williams said Game of Thrones Season 7 is “so exciting,” particularly the ending and the finale. She apparently does not know if her character will survive.
Game of Thrones Season 7 is supposedly going to premiere this summer, though HBO has not yet announced an official date.
Although Game of Thrones may wrap up with Season 8, there is a chance that HBO will produce a prequel.