‘Game of Thrones’ Star Maisie Williams Admits Her Hesitancy Over New Role’s Nudity

Game of Thrones star Maisie Williams is starring in a new biopic series about the infamous punk band The Sex Pistols, and the actress recently opened up about her hesitancy to take the role over nudity. In the show, Williams portrays British punk figure and fashion icon Jordan Mooney — real name Pamela Rooke — who was close with The Sex Pistols during the height of their career. While landing the role was a dream come true for Williams, she wasn’t yet fully comfortable.

Speaking to GQ Style about the upcoming FX on Hulu series, Pistol, Williams explained that she was uncertain about saying yes to the part “just because of everything that happens in the industry and all the horror stories” she heard. “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. After expressing her concerns to the casting department, series director Danny Boyle (127 Hours, Trainspotting) sent her a letter, explaining who Mooney was and what she meant to both the punk movement and feminism.

“Jordan was a political statement,” Williams came to understand from Boyle’s note. “Her entire ethos was turning the male gaze in on itself, and it was overtly sexual in a way that made other people feel ashamed,” she said. “If I take my top off, I want to make other people feel uncomfortable.”

Speaking to GQ Style about casting Williams in Pistol, Boyle said, “It was the perfect opportunity for [Williams] to own a big character. She’s a great realistic actor, but Jordan [rejects] the very idea of everyday life. Maisie’s a bit like that herself. In a quieter, sweeter way, there’s a touch of Oscar Wilde about her, leading an awkward, self-conscious nation into being braver about sexuality, sensuality, gender, beauty…”

Finally, Williams also shared that she had a chance to learn about Jordan directly from the woman herself, prior to her death, as Jordan served as a consultant on the series and was on-set for filming. “It was a lot of pressure,” Williams recalled. “But honestly, I never needed to feel any type of way. Jordan was never confrontational. She just knew what was what, and if things weren’t right, she’d say.” Pistol is scheduled to premiere May 31 on FX on Hulu.