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Lena Headey Defends Her Decision To Use A Body Double In Pivotal 'Game Of Thrones' Scene

Cersei Lannister (Lena Heady) during the infamous 'walk of shame' in the Game Of Thrones season five finale. Photo: HBO

Fans of Game Of Thrones will remember the Season Five finale vividly, in large part due to Cersei Lannister's infamous public shaming.

Lannister, played by Lena Headey, was stripped naked and her hair shaved before she was forced to walk through the streets of Kings Landing as onlookers yelled slurs, threw rubbish and spat at her, all while a Silent Sister walked behind her ringing a bell and repeatedly yelling the word "Shame".

It was one of the most intense scenes in the show's history, however Headey has received a lot of criticism for deciding to use a body double, instead of filming the scene herself.

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At the end of season five, Lena Headey was playing a disgraced Cersei Lannister on Game of Thrones. The once-powerful monarch had become a powerless prisoner and victim of public shaming. As viewers might recall, Lannister was submitted to a penance walk that required her to strip down naked, get her hair shaven off and walk through the slums of town as disgusted onlookers shouted slurs and threw rubbish at her. Plus, a nun-looking Silent Sister followed her about town robotically ringing a handbell and saying, "Shame!"

"Some people thought I was less of an actress because I didn't get my tits out," the 42-year-old told Entertainment Weekly.

"You know what? It was really a bit shocking. I've done nudity. I'm not adverse to it. But I know I'm a very emotional actor and I get really driven by that. In order to do my job, I allow myself to be really vulnerable. I don't know any other way to do my job. Things really affect me. And the thought of being naked for three days and trying to contain her in the way she would be I think I would feel very angry. I didn't want to be angry. I don't think Cersei would be angry. I did what I thought she would do, emotionally. And wonderful Rebecca [Van Cleave, Headey's stand-in] was able to contain herself and be naked. She found it very difficult, obviously. It's not a natural thing to do. I film every year and I have kids and they know me now and [being naked in the scene] was just too much on top of that. So yeah, people that get it thought it was great. I didn't phone it in; I was actually there for three days with Rebecca."

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As for where her character can go from that, Headey describes season six as her "most interesting" yet.

"Now she really has nothing to lose and she has everything to gain from a horrible position she finds herself in."

But don't expect the old Cersei to be gone for good. "I don’t think she’s found any humility. She’s even more self-preservatory. She can’t believe that happened to her, of all people. It’s fueled her desire for power and her desperation to prove that she’s somebody worth considering."