Maisie Williams had to wear a breast strap and 'chubby belly' to 'reverse puberty' for 'Game of Thrones' role

Game of Thrones actor Maisie Williams has revealed she had to go to extreme lengths to “reverse puberty” as part of her role as Arya Stark in the HBO TV behemoth.

In an interview with American talk show 60 Minutes, the British actress said she had to strap down her breasts and wear a “chubby belly” during the scenes in which her character was trying to pose as a boy to escape the Lannisters.

Read more: Talking points from season 8, episode 1

The 22-year-old said: “I mean, there was a few seasons in the middle where I had to wear like, a strap just to reverse puberty for the first few years while Arya was pretending to be a boy.

“And then it got to the point where the strap was no longer working. So, I was about 15, right, and they gave me, like, this little, chubby belly. So it would, like, even out the playing field…

She added: “I was about 15 years old. Like, I kinda just want a boyfriend, honestly. I don’t wanna wear this. This doesn’t feel good.”

Williams said the tide turned in the show’s sixth season, when Arya gets a new costume while training in Braavos to become one of the Faceless Men.

“I remember I walked into my trailer one morning and there was a little bra and it was very exciting,” she said. “I was like: ‘I don’t have to wear the strap anymore’.”

Read more: Williams reveals ‘spoiler’ in April Fools prank

Williams returned to the role of Arya Stark on Sunday as the first episode of the eighth and final season of Game of Thrones aired on HBO and Sky Atlantic.

The remaining five episodes will air weekly on those channels, building to the final episode on 19 May.