Maisie Williams slams badly written female characters

Up until now, Game of Thrones star Maisie Williams didn't even have to consider herself lucky − she just assumed all female roles were created equal. That is, until she started venturing beyond the complex, dark role of Arya Stark.

In an interview with  The Radio Times, Williams talked about her growing encounters with the sexism of Hollywood and the film/TV industry − something plenty of other female stars are starting to speak up against.

“I didn’t realize when I was younger that women were written so badly, but going further into this career I realized there are a lot of really bad characters, that it’s not common to come across females who aren’t just ‘the girlfriend.’”

Williams, who plays a young Viking girl in Doctor Who, said she talked to her Doctor Who costar Jenna Coleman about this age-old practice, and neither of them were happy about it.

“When you get a script they always include a sentence or two about the character, something like – Jason: 36, strong, built, quick, witty and a description of his personality. There there’s his girlfriend – Sarah: hot, blonde. And that’s it! ‘Hot looking but in a cute way.’ That’s your character!”

Despite the accusations of sexism levied at Game of Thrones, Williams at least has been lucky enough to be one of the few female characters that are actually complex and not subject to the whims of male characters' development. We wish the best of luck to Maisie on navigating the minefield of awfully written female characters (something even her Game of Thrones co-stars weren't able to avoid).

"I hope to never have to play a character that is only there to benefit a male lead."

Preach, girl.