Lena Headey has stepped behind the camera for the first time to direct her “Game of Thrones” co-star Maisie Williams in singer-songwriter Freya Ridings’ new single, “You Mean the World to Me.”
Headey is known globally for her portrayal of Cersei Lannister, and Williams as Arya Stark, in the HBO epic series, which will soon enter its eighth and final season. Ridings is the breakout English star best known to date for “Lost Without You.”
“I had such an emotional response to Freya’s voice and the song,” said Headey. “We had a few versions of this video. Some were considered too dark. I think we achieved a version that allows us to see Freya in a raw, emotional performance.”
In the first clip from the video for “You Mean the World to Me,” which is being released by Good Soldier Records, Williams appears in emotionally wrought scenes interacting with both her family and with Ridings. The song is a story about resilience and was penned by Ridings at a time when her mother was unwell. “The family element is what the song is all about,” said Headey.
“When I heard that Lena Headey and Maisie Williams wanted to work on the music video for the new single I was beyond humbled,” Ridings said. “This is a hugely personal and emotional song for me – I’m just in awe of the emotionally intelligent strong women that worked on it, which also reflects the woman it was originally written about: my mum.”