to not let that affect the decisions we make
and I think continuing after the show, it’s
something we’ll be working on, too.”
Sitting down with the on-screen sisters
- who play Sansa and Arya Stark – during the
London press junket for Game of Thrones’
final outing, it’s immediately evident that the
familial bond has spilled over into real life,
the girls so in sync they finish each other’s
sentences. In fact, they admit they’ve only
ever been at odds once.
“The only [argument] I can remember is
when you said that Gravity was a bad film
and I said that it was a good film, and we had
an argument!” Williams recalls sheepishly.
“Wait! I’ve never actually seen Gravity!”
Turner responds, causing the whole room
to erupt with laughter.
“That was why I was angry I think!
I was like, ‘You haven’t even seen it!’”
Williams explains, to which Turner admits
she “probably just said it to be controversial”.
One thing the tight-knit friends do agree
on is that they’ve been “completely spoiled”
by Game of Thrones being their first foray
into the world of acting. Every single aspect
of the series is supersized – from the sheer
number of cast members to the ever-growing
budget and special effects behind it.
“We definitely lucked out,” Turner
acknowledges. “This show has the best
writers in the game, the best producers
in the game, the best cinematographers,
everything, so I think we were spoilt.”
However, as Williams explains, it’s all
they’ve ever known.
“Growing up on the show... we never
knew anything else,” she counters. “It’s hard
to say how we would be different had we
not had these experiences. I know that I left
school quite young, but the things I learnt
in life that you don’t learn in a classroom...
that’s something that we did have from
a very young age. That alone, the person
that it shaped me to be and the people that
I’ve met and the stories that I’ve heard, I’m
grateful for that.”
Coincidentally, life outside Westeros has
seen both actresses portray mutants on the
big screen – Turner as a young Jean Grey in
the X-Men films and Williams as Wolfsbane
in the upcoming The New Mutants.
“Maybe we have the same agent and we
don’t know it,” Turner says with a laugh.
Unsurprisingly, after sacrificing so much
of their childhoods, they’re both relishing
taking a breather now that commitments
to Game of Thrones have come to an end.
“[My agents have] definitely come to
me and been like, ‘Let’s have a discussion,
let’s have a chat, let’s talk about what you
want,’ and, honestly, just a little break
would be nice!” Williams admits.
“That’s exactly what I said!” Turner
adds. “Literally the day after I wrapped
Game of Thrones, I was on the phone with
my agent and she was like, ‘So... what do
you want? Where do you want to go?’ and
I was like, ‘I want a break for nine months.’”
While burgeoning film careers beckon,
Turner also reveals a surprising passion.
“I have a burning desire right now to
become a policewoman!” she offers, a little
self-consciously. “So I dunno, I’d like to
take a break and see what else I can do.
Fight crime and save some people!”
“I feel very confident that I’m
going to do a lot of great
things with my life”
- Maisie Williams
18 Foxtel MAY