Maisie Williams has spoken about the “relentless” efforts she put into her “all-consuming” role as resistance hero Catherine Dior in upcoming Apple TV+ drama The New Look.
The 22-year-old actress, who “left her whole life behind and moved to Paris for the role,” detailed the strenuous efforts she made to get into the role, including “eating very little.” and waking up at 4 a.m. after only three hours of sleep.
The Game Of Thrones star also spoke about suffering from “sleep paralysis” during filming because he felt “restricted.”
The 10-episode historical drama series is inspired by true events and centers on fashion designers Christian Dior and Coco Chanel as they deal with the horrors of World War II and bring modern fashion to the market.
Speaking to Harper's Bazaar, Maisie said: “It was a long job and it was great; My whole life moved to Paris. It was hard work, but it was a great honor to take on this part and it became overwhelming.
Maisie Williams has spoken about the “relentless” efforts she put into her “all-consuming” role as Catherine Dior in upcoming Apple TV+ drama The New Look
The 22-year-old actress detailed the grueling efforts she went through to get into the role, including “eating very little” and waking up at 4 a.m. after only three hours of sleep
“It was very relentless. The process of doing one take after another really destroys your character in a way.
“It’s not for everyone, but I like to get lost in a role and keep going until we finish a scene.”
The actress revealed the strict regime she followed to realistically portray Catherine Dior's emaciated appearance when she returned to Paris after World War II.
Maisie continued: “I ate very little, meditated all the time and burned candles and incense in my apartment. “I had to get up at 4am to sweat.
“The night before, around 7 or 8 p.m., I was allowed to eat something salty and dehydrating – some smoked salmon and a small glass of wine.
“Then I took a boiling hot bath with lots of salt. And I sort of floated into bed and slept for maybe three hours, and when I woke up I ate a handful of nuts.
“At this point I wouldn’t be able to sleep through the night. I kept waking up feeling like a marble in a bottle rattling around…”
Maisie further admitted that she suffered from nightmares during filming and had “terrifying visions of men in uniform.”
The Game Of Thrones star also spoke about suffering from “sleep paralysis” during filming because he felt “restricted.”
She said: “I ate very little, meditated all the time and burned candles and incense in my apartment.” I had to get up at 4am to sweat.
Maisie further admitted that she suffered from nightmares and had “terrifying visions of men in uniform.”
Maisie stars in the upcoming drama The New Look, which is set to hit theaters on February 14th.
The 10-part historical series by Todd A. Kessler stars Ben Mendelsohn as Christian Dior, Juliette Binoche as Coco Chanel and Game Of Thrones star Maisie as resistance hero Catherine Dior.
Inspired by true events and filmed exclusively in Paris, the series follows fashion designers Christian Dior and Coco Chanel as they deal with the horrors of World War II and bring modern fashion to the market.
It also stars John Malkovich as French couturier Lucien Lelong and Emily Mortimer as socialite and close associate of Coco Chanel Elsa Lombardi.
The first images showed that Maisie was almost unrecognizable in her close-up as Mendelsohn's on-screen sister, Catherine Dior.
The series will make its global debut with the first three episodes on Apple TV+ on Wednesday, February 14, 2024, followed by one episode every Wednesday until April 3.
Set against the backdrop of the Nazi occupation of Paris during World War II, the drama focuses on the pivotal moment in the 20th century when the French city brought the world back to life through its fashion icon Christian Dior.
As Dior rises to prominence with its groundbreaking, iconic representation of beauty and influence, Chanel's reign as the world's most famous fashion designer is under threat.
The interwoven saga follows the surprising stories of Dior's contemporaries and rivals from Chanel to Pierre Balmain, Cristóbal Balenciaga and others.
It also offers a glimpse into the atelier, designs and clothing created by Christian Dior in collaboration with the House of Dior.
The 10-episode series is inspired by true events and follows fashion designers Christian Dior and Coco Chanel as they deal with the horrors of World War II and bring modern fashion to the market
The March issue of Harper's Bazaar UK is in stores from February 8th
The soundtrack for the series was produced by Grammy winner Jack Antonoff and features covers of popular songs from the early to mid-20th century, performed by artists such as Bleachers, Florence Welch, Lana Del Rey, Matty Healy (The 1975), Beabadoobee, Nick Cave, Perfume Genius and more.
Maisie's character Catherine Dior, Christian Dior's sister, was a crucial figure in the French Resistance.
She was arrested and tortured by the Gestapo in 1944 and taken to the Ravensbrück concentration camp near Dresden before her escape in 1945.
As Christian's sister, she became the inspiration for his famous fragrance Miss Dior.
The March issue of Harper's Bazaar UK is in stores from February 8th.
Maisie's new series is scheduled to release on February 14th
Game Of Thrones actress Maisie plays the role of resistance hero Catherine Dior in the series
She looks almost unrecognizable in her close-up as Mendelsohn's on-screen sister, Catherine Dior