Thrones star set to speak at teDx event

TEDX will be coming back to Manchester in early 2019 and Maisie Williams will be one of the event’s live speakers.

The Game of Thrones star, who has been playing Arya Stark since the show’s first season in 2011, will be in Manchester for the event on Sunday February 3, 2019.

TEDx is an independently organised TED event which brings people together to share a TED-like experience, and is designed to help communities, organisations and individuals spark conversation and connection.

This year’s event in Manchester saw Dan Hett talk to guests about his experiences after losing his brother Martyn at the Arena attack on May 22, 2017. There were nearly 2,500 people in attendance, and 2019’s event at the Bridgewater Hall is likely to be just as popular.

Founder of TEDxManchester, Herb Kim, said: “It’s a massive privilege to be able to bring TEDx back to Manchester.

“This is our second year in the amazing Bridgewater Hall and we can’t wait to host everyone this coming February.”

Williams, now 21, has finished filming for the show’s final season which will air in April next year.

Earlier this year she launched the social app Daisie, which is likely to form the bulk of her presentation.

A creative platform for young, artistically-inclined people to connect and collaborate, the app was born out of a connection with camera trainee Dom Santry, who Williams met on a film set in 2016.

Speaking to The Guardian, Williams said: “Typically, on a film set, there’s a rule that crew do not talk to the actors unless the actors have spoken to the crew first.

“I don’t etiquette.”

Santry ignored this and approached her and asked if she wanted to direct a short film – a collaboration that formed the foundation for Daisie.

The launch makes Williams an actor and tech entrepreneur at the age of just 21.

Other speakers at the event include Unilad creator and social media pioneer Alex Partridge, and Jon Carmichael, a New York-based astronomy photographer.

Carmichael’s contemporary work was first seen and discovered by Sir Elton John. Elton then became like it, but it’s the Carmichael’s biggest collector of pictures and still continues to mentor and encourage him to share his work with the entire world. His commercial photography has seen him shoot pictures of former US President Barack Obama, Lady Gaga and the Dalai Lama.

Tickets for TEDxManchester 2019 are on sale now with prices starting at £27. Maisie Williams attends the ‘Daisie’ launch party