Maisie Williams: Gender Identity, Partner, Age, and Biography

More than a decade after she first picked up a sword as Arya Stark, Maisie Williams remains one of the most talked-about actors to emerge from Game of Thrones. But away from Westeros, her personal life—her identity, her relationships, her next chapter—has sparked just as much curiosity.

Born: April 15, 1997 ·
Age: 27 years (as of 2024) ·
Known for: Arya Stark in Game of Thrones ·
Instagram followers: 9 million ·
Net worth: $6 million (estimated)

Six key facts at a glance, one pattern: every major life marker—birth, career debut, relationships—has been publicly documented, but the fine print often comes from secondary sources.

The table below organizes what is known definitively.

What is Maisie Williams gender identity?

Maisie Williams has addressed her gender identity directly in interviews, though the topic has generated considerable online speculation. In a 2016 conversation with The Independent, she said she had never felt the need to box herself in: “I’ve never sat up and thought about my sexuality for hours,” describing attraction as personality-based rather than gender-based (The Independent UK broadsheet).

What does Maisie Williams identify as?

Williams has consistently identified as a woman. In a 2021 interview with PinkNews, she said she identifies as female while also embracing gender fluidity as an expressive concept—meaning she sees gender expression as fluid, not her identity itself (PinkNews LGBTQ+ media outlet). A 2024 report from People noted that she continued to identify as female and discussed feeling “so lost” after Game of Thrones ended (People magazine celebrity news authority).

The implication: the most reliable answer is that Williams is a woman who believes gender expression can be fluid, but she has not adopted a non-binary label. Media outlets that report otherwise are drawing inferences from her broader comments, not from a direct statement.

Is Maisie Williams Irish?

No, Maisie Williams is not Irish. She was born Margaret Constance Williams on 15 April 1997 in Bristol, England (TV Tropes fan wiki). Her surname Williams is Welsh in origin, but that does not make her Irish. The confusion may stem from her role as Arya Stark, a character from a fictional world inspired by British history, or from her close association with Irish co-stars on Game of Thrones.

For the record, she is an English actress. The Simple English Wikipedia lists her nationality as “English” (Simple English Wikipedia encyclopedia). No credible source has ever claimed she holds Irish citizenship.

Does Maisie Williams have a partner?

As of late 2024, Maisie Williams has not publicly confirmed a new partner. Her most significant known relationship was with model Reuben Selby, which lasted from 2019 to 2023.

Are Maisie and Reuben still together?

No, they split in 2023. According to entertainment coverage, the relationship ended amicably. Williams reportedly told Vogue that they had “grown apart but remain friends” (Northern Focus entertainment blog). The same source claims she was previously in a relationship with Ollie Jackson from 2017 to 2022, though this is reported with low confidence.

Who is Maisie Williams partner now?

No current partner has been confirmed. A 2024 entertainment biography claimed she was single as of that year (Northern Focus entertainment blog). She has not been publicly linked to anyone since the Selby split.

Who has Maisie Williams dated?

Her dating history is not fully public. The Independent reported in 2016 that she was in a relationship with a man she met while still in school (The Independent UK broadsheet). Later, she was linked to Ollie Jackson (2017–2022, reportedly) and Reuben Selby (2019–2023). She has never been publicly reported as married.

The pattern: Williams has kept her private life largely out of the spotlight, granting only a few interviews about her relationships. The result is a fragmented timeline where fans and media fill in gaps with inference.

Timeline: Maisie Williams’ life in key moments

• 1997 – Born in Bristol, England
• 2011 – First appeared as Arya Stark in Game of Thrones (UPI news agency)
• 2019 – Game of Thrones ended; began relationship with Reuben Selby
• 2020 – Appeared in The New Mutants (PinkNews LGBTQ+ media outlet)
• 2023 – Split from Reuben Selby

What’s confirmed vs. what’s unclear

Quotes from Maisie Williams

I’m a woman, I’m a feminist.

– Maisie Williams in The Guardian (2020), as cited by PinkNews LGBTQ+ media outlet

We’ve grown apart but remain friends.

– Maisie Williams on her split with Reuben Selby, as reported by Northern Focus entertainment blog

What does this mean for Maisie Williams’ future?

Williams has spoken about feeling “so lost” after Game of Thrones ended, but she has also embraced new roles—from The New Mutants to the punk series Pistol. Her public identity remains a work in progress, and she seems determined to control the narrative on her own terms. For fans who grew up watching her play Arya Stark, the real Maisie Williams is still emerging: a young woman navigating fame, identity, and the quiet aftermath of a cultural phenomenon. The question of her next move—whether a return to a major franchise or a continued path in indie projects—will define the second act of her career. For the audience that followed her from Winterfell, that uncertainty is part of the story.

Frequently asked questions