Bloody and violent to its core, Game of Thrones is full of brutal scenes, which must have been grueling for the actors to film, and Cersei Lannister actress Lena Headey got candid about her toughest day on set. One of Cersei’s most famous quotes is season 1’s, “When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die,” and she was often the one causing destruction.
However, the powerful Cersei experiences a severe reversal of fortune in Game of Thrones season 5 when she’s imprisoned by the High Sparrow and the Faith Militant after her cousin, Lancel Lannister, betrays her and confesses to their affair. Desperate to be released, Cersei confesses to her “crimes,” and her punishment leads to one of Game of Thrones’ hardest scenes to watch.
Cersei’s Walk Of Shame Is One Of The Darkest Scenes In Game Of Thrones
To pay for her wrongdoings and secure her release, Cersei is forced to go on a “walk of atonement,” also known as the “walk of shame,” in season 5, A punishment designed by Game of Thrones’ Faith of the Seven, the walk of atonement sees the sinner stripped naked and shaved, and forced to parade in public as onlookers revel in their shame.
As villainous as Cersei is, and as much as many viewers had been rooting for her comeuppance, to see her so cruelly degraded and humiliated is tough to stomach. She is instantly rendered powerless when her beautiful, long blonde hair, which she once wielded like a weapon, is unceremoniously hacked off.
Then there’s the walk itself, as Cersei is reduced to a ridiculed spectacle in the very streets she used to rule over. Gone is the steely-eyed queen, as she’s replaced by a broken-down, terrified, and powerless woman.
And if being forced to walk naked in public isn’t enough, Cersei is accompanied by a “shame nun” (played by Ted Lasso’s Hannah Waddingham), who walks behind her, chanting “Shame” and ringing a bell to attract more onlookers.
Beyond Cersei’s humiliation, what’s so disturbing is how easy it is for humans to become cruel and sadistic when given the chance. Sure, Cersei was hardly a benevolent ruler, but the glee with which the commonfolk jeer at her, pelt her with rotten food and filth, and spit on her is a horrific sight, and every bit as dark and disturbing as Game of Thrones’ most brutal torture scenes.
What Lena Headey Said About Filming The Walk Of Shame Scene
As difficult as Cersei’s walk of shame scene is to watch, it was all the harder to film, as Lena Headey has spoken openly about. She opted to use a body double, actress Rebecca Van Cleave, for the scene due to its intensity, and Headey’s face was digitally superimposed onto Van Cleave’s body for some shots.
Headey told Entertainment Weekly that “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.”
Given the raw emotions of fear, humiliation, and horror on Cersei’s face, Headey definitely made the right call. The actress also said, “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.”
It’s that vulnerability that makes Cersei such a great character. In the hands of a lesser actor, she would be a one-note, hand-rubbing villain, but Headey exposes Cersei’s humanity and complexity. Cersei may not be someone we’d ever want in our orbit, but we feel heaps of sympathy for her in the walk of shame scene, and a big part of that is because of Headey’s masterful performance.
Headey Had Choice Words For Those Who Criticized Her Using A Body Double
While many sang Headey’s praises for her powerful performance in the walk of shame scene, and she even earned an Emmy nomination for “Mother’s Mercy,” some naysayers looked down on Headey for not filming the scene herself. She had blunt words for her critics, telling EW that “some people thought I was less of an actress because I didn’t get my t-ts out.”
Headey expressed surprise at the backlash to what was a very personal choice, saying, “You know what? It was really a bit shocking. I’ve done nudity. I’m not averse to it.” If anything, the fact that Headey has been naked on camera before speaks to how seriously she took this decision, and that it was the best thing to do.
The actress was also quick to credit Van Cleave, and was highly complimentary of her work. “It’s a tough f–king job and she’s very smart,” Headey said.