Why Maisie Williams Wanted Her Pistol Nude Scenes To Make You Uncomfortable
Craig Pearce's miniseries "Pistol" arrived on FX in 2022, providing viewers with a look inside the history of one of the biggest punk bands of all time, the Sex Pistols. Such actors as Toby Wallace, Louis Partridge, and Emma Appleton, to name a few, were brought on to portray the members of the band itself and those around them as they rose to prominence. If the actor behind Pamela "Jordan" Rooke looks familiar to you, that's because none other than Maisie Williams — a standout as Arya Stark on the television-changing "Game of Thrones" — signed the dotted line to play her. She took the role seriously, too, especially her nude scenes, which she hoped would make viewers uncomfortable.
Speaking to GQ Magazine, Williams explained that her nudity on "Pistol" wasn't something she took lightly. In fully embodying the late Jordan, she realized that such moments were a necessity in order to do right by her stances on gender dynamics and sexuality, as well as her overall legacy. "Her entire ethos was turning the male gaze in on itself, and it was overtly sexual in a way that made other people feel ashamed...If I take my top off, I want to make other people feel uncomfortable," Williams said. Series director Danny Boyle helped her understand this and the Jordan role as a whole before she was even cast.
Though she eventually came around on the idea of filming nude scenes for "Pistol," Williams was initially understandably hesitant to even take the part because of them.
Initially, Williams was hesitant to work on Pistol due to Jordan's nude scenes
Nude scenes are a hot topic in Hollywood, and for good reason. Going out and acting in front of a group of people with little to no clothing on sounds like an incredibly vulnerable experience to go through. Not to mention, there are a whole host of things that can go wrong while bringing these scenes to life, hence why there are plenty of stories of nude scenes getting actors in trouble in real life. Despite having filmed one previously during her time on "Game of Thrones," Maisie Williams wasn't so sure about doing more for "Pistol."
During her conversation with GQ, Williams recalled that the casting directors behind the program were up front about the nudity involved with the Jordan role, prompting her to share her concerns about taking the job. "Just because of everything that happens in the industry and all the horror stories I've heard...I want to be in this show because I'm the best person to do this, not because I'm the only girl who'll take her top off," she said. Ultimately, her aforementioned back-and-forth with Danny Boyle put her mind at ease, so she went for the part. She even went as far as wearing a revealing sheer top with no bra during her Zoom audition to show her commitment.
If Williams' nude scenes on "Pistol" made you uncomfortable, then she did her job. She made it a point to depict Jordan's character properly, paying homage to her groundbreaking countercultural tendencies and seeking to receive the same response from onlookers as she did decades ago.