Maisie Williams: The Painful Past Of A Game Of Thrones Star | E181

They were asking the right questions. (instrumental music plays)

We can stop as much as you want, by the way. We don't have to carry on.

Maisie Williams, everyone. (crowd cheers)

Game of Thrones was the biggest show on television. (instrumental music plays)

Game of Thrones flipped my whole world on its head. I sometimes worry that I'm, like, alienated because it all happened when I was so young, and like, literally from the age of 12, I've been, like, set for life. (instrumental music plays) I had a traumatic relationship with my dad, and ever since I can remember, like, I've really struggled sleeping. It had, like, met its, like, peak, and I was at school. I was taken by a teacher to the staff room. She was saying, like, "What's happened?" But I think a lot of the traumatic things that were happening, I didn't realize that they were wrong. (instrumental music plays) I would look around at other kids and be like, "Where does the joy... When does that come for me?" (instrumental music plays)

When you were 22, you, you talked about issues with substance abuse.

Yeah, I would just... Had that sense of impending doom, and I didn't know how to make it go away. (instrumental music plays)

I'm gonna come and give you a hug. (instrumental music plays) Before this conversation starts, I've got a favor to ask from you. 74% of people that watch this podcast frequently haven't yet hit the subscribe button, and 9% of people haven't yet hit the bell to turn notifications on. The bigger this platform gets, the bigger the guests get. So if you could do me one favor, if you've ever enjoyed this podcast, please hit the subscribe button and turn notifications on. Without further ado, I'm Steven Bartlett, and this is The Diary of a CEO. I hope nobody's listening, but if you are, then please keep this to yourself. (instrumental music plays) So take me back, Somerset.

(laughs)

What do I need to... To understand who you are now, what do I need to know about that part of your life?

Um, well, I, as like, a young child, before the age of like, eight, um, had quite a traumatic, like, relationship with my dad. And I don't really wanna go into it too much-

Right.

... because it affects my siblings and my-

Sure.

... whole family. Um, but like, that really consumed a lot of my childhood. Um, ever since I can remember, like, I've really struggled sleeping, and I think a lot of the traumatic things that were happening, I didn't realize that they were wrong. But I knew that like, I would look around at other kids and be like, "Why, why d-" Like, "Why don't they seem to understand this, like, pain, or dread, or fear?" Like, like, w- you know, "W- where does the joy..." Like, "When does that come for me?" Like, I, you know, I kind of always felt like I felt things very deeply, um, in comparison to other people. And so when that sort of period of my life ended, um, I imagined that like, you know, everything is just like, up from here. Like, "Everything's perfect now." Um, "All of those things that I was concerned about were actually wrong, and like, now I'm sort of free." Um, yeah, and then, you know, at different stages in life, you realize that there's never like, a end destination for that freedom, um, and it's... Yeah, it kind of comes from within, I guess. Like, when are you going to let yourself be free from, from the pain? But yeah, that really consumed a lot of my childhood. That was sort of like, what I was identified as. It, you know, what I identified myself as for a long time, and then, you know, everything changed and I sort of became this like, you know, character who, uh, who wouldn't let anything bad happen to her or anyone around her, and yeah. I guess like, maybe there is some sort of like, connection between those two things.