‘Game of Thrones’ Star Lena Headey ‘Wanted a Better Death’ for Cersei
It’s no secret that Game of Thrones fans were less than thrilled with some of the ends that their favorite characters met in the show’s final season — even the ones for characters they didn’t like.
Lena Headey‘s Cersei Lannister is one character in particular that fans wished had a more spectacular final bow. The “evil” queen met her demise in the series’ penultimate episode, “The Bells,” as she was crushed by falling debris alongside her twin brother and sometimes lover Jaime (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau).
In a recent interview with The Guardian, the actress got candid about Cersei’s death, admitting that it wasn’t her favorite end for the popular character. “I invested as a viewer and I have my favorite characters. And I’ve got a few of my own gripes,” Headey said. “But I haven’t sat down drunkly with David [Benioff] and Dan [Weiss] yet.”
The actress then goes on to say, when she does have that conversation, she’d say, “I will say I wanted a better death.” Considering Cersei’s brutal nature and unforgiving ways, viewers had anticipated an equally brutal and unforgiving death, so to say her demise was a disappointment is a bit of an understatement.
(Credit: HBO)
“Obviously you dream of your death,” she said. “You could go in any way on that show. So I was kind of gutted.” She’s not wrong — Game of Thrones was known for its shocking deaths that became iconic in the world of TV such as the infamous Red Wedding or Tyrion’s (Peter Dinklage) shots at Tywin (Charles Dance) on the toilet.
Ultimately not everyone can be happy in the end, no matter the series, and that’s what Headey went on to say. “But I just think they couldn’t have pleased everyone,” she added. “No matter what they did, I think there was going to be some big comedown from the climb.”
Despite the show’s end and disappointment among fans, Headey also shared that she and her costars remain in touch long after filming wrapped. “We’re all on a giant WhatsApp group which is a daily pile-on,” she said. “It’s hilarious. “
Watchlist Easy access to only the shows you care about — all in one simple place
Alerts Only important notifications — when a show is returning, when it becomes available to stream, and more.
Special Offers Exclusive products we release related to your favorite shows and streaming services