The actress who played Cersei Lannister opens up about the unexpected backlash from viewers who felt deceived by the famous walk of shame sequence.
Nearly a decade after the episode aired, Lena Headey is still processing the intense fan reaction to one of the most talked-about moments in television history.
Cersei Lannister’s walk of shame in Season 5 of Game of Thrones remains one of the series’ most brutal and unforgettable sequences. The character, stripped of her clothes and dignity, walks naked through the streets of King’s Landing while an angry mob throws food and waste at her .
What many viewers did not know at the time was that Headey used a body double for the nude portions of the scene . Actress Rebecca Van Cleave performed the physical walk completely naked over three days of filming in Dubrovnik, Croatia, while Headey wore a beige shift . Visual effects teams later combined the footage, placing Headey’s facial expressions onto Van Cleave’s body .
Van Cleave was chosen from over 1,000 actresses who applied for the role . She described working closely with Headey throughout the process. The main actress walked beside her, guiding her through Cersei’s emotional journey during the grueling shoot .
The body double recalled the experience with mixed emotions. She called it “one of the scariest, most wonderful, most gratifying experiences” she could have imagined . She also shared how Headey helped her through difficult moments when extras threw chamber pot contents at her .
What Shocked the Actress Most
Headey recently sat down with The Telegraph for a new interview and revealed what truly surprised her about the entire situation. The backlash from fans after discovering she had not done the nude scene herself was far worse than she expected .
“I was really shocked by the anger, by this idea that I’d duped the audience,” Headey told The Telegraph .
The actress pointed out how impractical it would have been to film the scene fully nude. The production involved about 3,000 extras on location. By that point in the show’s run, the cast’s fame had reached extreme levels .
She explained that acting requires immense emotional vulnerability. Going nude while performing in front of thousands of people would have put her in a defensive mindset that would have ruined the performance .
“I wouldn’t have been able to do the emotional part of the job; I’d have been in full-on defensive mode,” she said .
Headey later told Entertainment Weekly that some viewers believed she was “less of an actress because I didn’t get my tits out” . She clarified that she has done nudity before and is not against it. However, being naked for three days while trying to stay in character as Cersei would have made her feel very angry .
Pregnancy and Personal Reasons Behind the Decision
Headey was pregnant with her second child during the time of filming . This factor contributed to her decision to use a body double, though it was not the only reason .
The actress has been open about her pregnancy during that period. Some outlets reported that she was expecting a daughter at the time .
She also mentioned that she has children who are now aware of her work. Taking on a completely nude scene on top of everything else felt like “too much” for her .
Van Cleave defended Headey’s choice after the episode aired. She told Entertainment Weekly that “it should all be about the finished product, not about whose body was where and whose head was where” .
A Difficult Scene to Shoot
The walk of shame took three days to complete in Dubrovnik’s old town . Headey described the experience as degrading and terrifying. She told Entertainment Weekly at the time that “there’s a part of you that’s f***ing terrified” when people are screaming at you and humiliating you .
She also expressed that Cersei, despite her wrongdoings, did not deserve such treatment . The character had been beaten, starved, and humiliated before the walk even began .
Director David Nutter spoke about the challenges of filming the sequence. He told The Hollywood Reporter that he was “on pins and needles” about getting it right because he wanted to protect his friend . He described how the extras in Dubrovnik reacted intensely to Headey’s character as she walked through Flea Bottom, which is the slum district she had created as queen .
Speaking Out About Hollywood’s Dark Side
In her recent interview with The Telegraph, Headey also addressed larger problems in the entertainment industry. She called out the “weird protection that we offer predatory men in the business because of the disproportionate power they wield” .
Headey previously accused producer Harvey Weinstein of making suggestive comments toward her at the Venice Film Festival. She also revealed that Weinstein once invited her to his hotel under the pretense of showing her a script .
She expressed anger about how the system forced vulnerable actresses to put up with inappropriate behavior just to “put food on the table” . The #MeToo movement in 2017 showed that these problems were everywhere .
The actress praised younger women in the industry today for being more aware and willing to stand up for themselves. “The attitude today is, ‘I’m not f***ing doing that,’” she said .
Also Read:
Van Cleave’s Reflection on the Final Product
Van Cleave only saw the finished scene eight months later when the season finale aired. She described watching it as “very surreal and emotional” and admitted she had a good cry afterward .
She acknowledged that the experience was the hardest thing she had ever done but also the best of her life. She humorously added that she hopes her next role will have her own head in it .
The body double also shared the physical and emotional toll of filming. “Particularly moments when I got all kinds of stuff thrown at me, with the chamber pots being dumped out,” she told Entertainment Weekly . By the last day of filming, she felt deeply connected to Cersei’s emotional journey and was relieved when the character finally reached the Red Keep .
Headey has moved on to other projects since Game of Thrones ended. She recently starred in the audio drama Intimacy, where she plays an intimacy coordinator helping actors navigate sensitive scenes .
For more entertainment news and updates, visit VvipTimes and stay informed about your favorite celebrities and shows.
Leave a Reply