Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Lena Headey admits she 'wanted a better death' for Cersei on Game of Thrones

Actor appears to agree with fans that her character's death was something of an anti-climax

Roisin O'Connor
Sunday 16 June 2019 14:09 BST
Comments
Game of Thrones: Bran Stark offered opportunity to rule Iron Throne

Lena Headey has admitted she was “kind of gutted” about the way her Game of Thrones character, Cersei Lannister, met her fate in the final season of the hit HBO series.

Speaking to The Guardian, the actor spoke about her time on the show and her thoughts on its conclusion, including for her own character.

Asked what she would sat if she sat down with writers David Benioff and DB Weiss after a few drinks, she responded: “I will say I wanted a better death.”

Click through the gallery to see our definitive ranking of every Game of Thrones episode

Many fans were disappointed with Cersei’s final scene, which showed her in an embrace with her twin brother and lover Jaime in the crypt at King’s Landing – both killed by collapsing masonry as Daenerys and Drogon caused destruction overhead.

“Obviously you dream of your death,” Headey said. “You could go in any way on that show. So I was kind of gutted. But I just think they couldn’t have pleased everyone. No matter what they did, I think there was going to be some big comedown from the climb.”

However, she said it was “amazing” to be on the show, “and things end and you move on”.

Earlier this month, Headey's co-star Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, who played Jaime, defended their final scene.

“The whole world is falling down around them – it's a poetic thing,” he told the Making Game of Thrones website.

“When we were done filming, it was so emotional – more so than my last scene. My hope for those final moments between Cersei and Jaime, is that even though people want her dead, it still leaves a sour taste in their mouth.”

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in