Lena Headey, who played Cersei Lannister across eight seasons of Game of Thrones, says the entertainment industry still has a problem protecting men who abuse their power.
In a new interview reported by Deadline, Headey spoke directly about what she called the "weird protection" Hollywood extends to predatory men. "The weird protection that we offer predatory men in the business because of the disproportionate power they wield, set against the need among vulnerable actresses to work to put food on the table to get the job — it makes me very angry," she told The Telegraph. "A job can be completely soured by one person who, for some reason, is allowed to get away with it. It was only when the #MeToo movement erupted [in 2017] that we realized — oh, this is everywhere."
Headey also addressed the significant backlash she received after using a body double for the naked walk of shame sequence in Season 5 of the HBO series. The scene became one of the most discussed in the show's run, but Headey said the reaction from viewers surprised her. "I was really shocked by the anger, by this idea that I'd duped the audience," she told The Telegraph. "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."
In 2017, Headey was among the actors who came forward to accuse Harvey Weinstein of misconduct. She said Weinstein made suggestive comments to her at the Venice Film Festival while she was promoting The Brothers Grimm. Later, she said he invited her to his hotel room under the pretense of showing her a script. Weinstein is currently imprisoned on multiple sexual assault charges.
Headey said she sees a shift in younger actresses entering the industry today. "I think most young women I speak to now in this business are so savvy," she said. "The attitude today is, 'I'm not f—ing doing that.'"
