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Lena Headey discusses Game of Thrones' most harrowing sequence. She also says she was "shocked" by the online outrage it received.
Speaking to The Telegraph, Headey opened up about the lack of intimacy coordinators on the set of Game of Thrones, as well as how the production left numerous stars unhappy with the way its more graphic scenes were handled. Surprisingly, Headey didn't have the same visceral reaction when it came to her own nude sequences and sex scenes, largely "because by that point I'd been through the wringer," she notes.
Lena Headey's Game of Thrones Experience Culminated in an Unsettling Controversy
While Game of Thrones was replete with various intimate sequences, things boiled over for Headey's Cersei Lannister in Season 5, during which the character is forced to make her way through a massive crowd entirely in the nude for a walk of atonement across King's Landing. Whereas other stars had a more difficult experience with similar scenes, Headey herself was more prepared to take on those aspects of the production even without intimacy coordinators on set.
"I could stand up for myself," Headey stated. "I'm not saying those actresses couldn't, but they were much younger and more vulnerable, and had far less experience of being in front of people and the camera and performing. Whereas I was of an age where I'd just tit about and diffuse anything uncomfortable with idiocy."
When it came time for Cersei's walk of shame, a body double was brought in, something which drew the ire of fans online when it was revealed at the time. "I was really shocked by the anger, by this idea that I'd duped the audience," Headey recalled. "But by that point everyone knew [the cast], it was insane simply going anywhere, and I was with 3000 extras. Acting is a joy but it requires a lot of you. I wouldn't have been able to do the emotional part of the job; I'd have been in full on defensive mode."
What's Next for Games of Thrones Star Lena Headey?
After eight seasons of Game of Thrones, Headey has gone on to lead numerous film and television productions, with two major releases slated in the near future. The first of these, Red, White & Royal Wedding, wrapped filming back in March, and will see Headey take on the role of Princess Catherine. The Red, White & Royal Blue sequel will bring back original stars Taylor Zakhar Perez and Nicholas Galitzine, with Headey joining fellow incoming stars Henry Ashton, Chloe Fineman, and Alex Høgh Andersen.
Headey is also set to star alongside Paddy Considine and Georgina Campbell in an upcoming four-part detective series from Black Mirror creator Charlie Booker. The currently untitled series will be directed by Al Campbell and is expected to arrive on Netflix some time later this year or in early 2027.
She is also part of the upcoming audio drama Intimacy, which will also star Hannah Waddingham, Alison Steadman, and her Game of Thrones co-star Maisie Williams. Headey wrote, directed, and starred in the new eight-part podcast drama.
Game of Thrones is currently available for streaming on HBO Max.
