Maisie Williams is swapping one high profile fantasy series for a top science fiction show. The young British actress, who currently stars on Game of Thrones, has confirmed she will be taking on a small guest role in BBC drama Doctor Who.
"I'm so excited to be working on Doctor Who as it's such a big and important part of British culture," the 17-year-old actress said in a statement.
Maisie Williams admitted she "can't wait" to start work on Doctor Who
Originally from Bristol, Maisie will be filming over the Severn Bridge in Wales. "I can’t wait to meet the cast and crew and start filming, especially as we’ll be shooting not too far from my home town," she added.
Doctor Who aired between 1963 and 1989 before the BBC bought it back to life in 2005 with Christopher Ecclestone at the helm. After various reincarnations, Peter Capaldi now plays the Doctor, a humanoid alien who travels through time and space.
Steven Moffat, Doctor Who's show runner and executive producer, said he was "thrilled" to have Maisie on board the TARDIS.
Maisie Williams as Arya Stark in Game Of Thrones
He said: "It’s not possible to say too much about who or what she’s playing, but she is going to challenge the Doctor in very unexpected ways.
"This time he might just be out of his depth, and we know Maisie is going to give him exactly the right sort of hell."
Maisie has starred in the HBO drama Game of Thrones since its first season in 2011. It was her first professional role, and her portrayal of Arya Stark, a headstrong young girl who is often mistaken for a boy, has been widely praised.
The actress has been nominated three times at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, and in February she was awarded a Shooting Star Award at the Berlin Film Festival - previous winners have included Daniel Craig, Carey Mulligan, and Alicia Vikander.