Maisie Williams Thinks Her Looks Keep Her from Roles: 'It's a Very Shallow Industry'
Games of Thrones actress Maisie Williams is calling out the double beauty standard that exists in Hollywood.
In a recent interview with The Irish Times, the English-born actress, 20, called out the industry for only portraying one traditional type of a “beautiful woman” onscreen, which she admits concerns her when it comes to landing future roles in film and television.
“It’s only now I’m starting to realize the characters that are available to me because of the way I look and the characters that aren’t available to me,” Williams said. “It’s a very shallow industry.”
The star continued her honest critique of the entertainment industry’s standards of beauty, calling out Hollywood for only choosing to show one type of beauty onscreen.
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“And I don’t look like someone who is cast in roles that are, well, sexualized,” Williams said.
“Don’t get me wrong. I’m completely in awe of Hollywood’s leading ladies. I love looking at those totally jaw-droppingly beautiful women. But I think it’s sad that you only get to see one type of beautiful onscreen.”
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For the past seven years, Williams has starred alongside a talented cast of diverse individuals with an “intense” bond on HBO’s acclaimed series Game of Thrones.
“I feel like I have the world’s biggest family,” Williams’ co-star and close friend Sophie Turner previously told PEOPLE. “When you’re in the public eye, for every one positive comment, you get ten negative. So that’s a definitely been tricky to deal with… but the support system has been the greatest thing for me.”
After growing up together on the show playing sisters, Williams and Turner’s friendship has pretty much blossomed into a real-life sisterhood. The two are so close that Williams announced she will be a bridesmaid in Turner’s upcoming wedding to pop singer Joe Jonas.
“It’s really lovely to have someone to hold my hand through this,” Williams said of Turner about filming GoT. “She’s like my big sister.”