Maisie Willams says bring on the haters
Celebrities are known to thrive on a constant stream of admiration from adoring fans. But not Maisie Williams, the 22-year-old actress who plays Arya Stark on “Game of Thrones.” The star said she actually craves negative social media attention, so she can “retreat” into her own safe space.
“It got to me a lot, because there’s just a constant feed in your back pocket of what people think of you,” Williams told Fearne Cotton’s Happy Place podcast. “It’s impossible to turn a blind eye. When people are on social media they feel like whatever they write, no one’s gonna see it, no one’s gonna read it, but they do and it will affect them for a really long time … When I do feel myself going down a rabbit hole, it gets to a point where you’re almost craving something negative so you can sit in a hole of sadness. It’s really bizarre the way that it starts to consume you.”
However, Williams is aware that her social media habits aren’t healthy and says she’s working on becoming a better role model. But she doesn’t regret being herself, online and off.
“I’ve definitely said things that I regret, and I’ve definitely done things I regret and haven’t been the best role model at certain times,” Williams told the podcast. “I remember telling myself there’s no worse role model than someone who isn’t being genuine. Everyone makes mistakes and things happen that you regret, and if you try and paint the picture of a perfect girl you’re only gonna get found out, so just do you, and that’s what girls should look up to.”