Game of Thrones, the television adaptation of George R.R. Martin’s bestselling A Song of Ice and Fire book series, is one of the most successful television shows of all time.
The fantasy series won over millions of fans around the world who tuned in between 2011 and 2019 to see who would finally sit on The Iron Throne in the fictional kingdom of Westeros.
Although Game of Thrones ended up being a smash hit, none of the actors could have anticipated just how successful it would become. Lena Headey, who portrayed the role of Cersei Lannister in the series, actually believed that she was signing on for “just another pilot” when she agreed to play Cersei.
In the end, though, Game of Thrones ended up permanently transforming her career and her life. Here’s why Lena Headey believed Game of Thrones would be like every other show she auditioned for, and just how wrong she was.
Lena Headey’s Role On ‘Game Of Thrones’
On HBO’s Game of Thrones, Lena Headey played the role of Cersei Lannister for the show’s entire eight-season run.
Cersei begins married to King Robert Baratheon (and in a romantic relationship with her twin brother Jaime Lannister), mother of the future kings Joffrey and Tommen. She is considered to be one of the show’s most hated villains, although she does have several moments throughout the seasons where audiences feel sorry for her.
Eventually sitting on the Iron Throne herself, Cersei undergoes quite a transformation in the show and is one of the most important characters.
Lena Headey’s Original Impression Of The Show
Just before the final season of Game of Thrones premiered, the actors reminisced as part of a special featurette called The Cast Remembers.
While Lena Headey was looking back on her time as Cersei Lannister, she admitted that when she first signed on to do Game of Thrones, she wondered whether it was just another pilot.
In the feature, Headey tells the camera that she thought playing Cersei could be just “another job that doesn’t go anywhere.” We can’t blame her for not having high expectations, but how wrong she was!
The Actual Impact Of ‘Game Of Thrones’
While it's doubtless most actors experience jobs that don’t go anywhere, Game of Thrones couldn’t have been further from a dead-end job for any of the actors. The unbelievable success of the show meant that many of the actors became household names, including Lena Headey.
Game of Thrones is now considered to be one of the most successful fantasy TV series of all time. In 2016, the show became the most awarded TV series in the history of the Emmy Awards, winning over 265 awards during its reign.
It also converted millions of viewers into lifelong adoring fans.
Other TV Shows Lena Headey Has Starred In
Game of Thrones launched Lena Headey, and many of its other stars, to international success.
But the Bermudian-British actress had been working in the industry for many years before the role of Cersei Lannister came along, which explains why she initially wondered whether Game of Thrones would be just another one of those.
Prior to 2011, Headey appeared as Sarah Connor in the TV series Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, which ran between 2008 and 2009.
She also appeared as Miss Dickinson in 2007’s St. Trinian’s and played Queen Gorgo in 300 in 2006, opposite Gerard Butler.
What Lena Headey Has Said About ‘Game Of Thrones’ Since
Lena Headey didn’t get her hopes up about Game of Thrones in the beginning. But she has since gushed about her experience on the show.
In The Cast Remembers, Headey called her time on the show “incredible” and revealed that she had great material to work with and it was good fun.
She also admitted that she would miss playing Cersei and also miss the cast because they had grown to be like a family over the eight seasons.
The First Impressions Of Other Characters
Like Lena Headey, some of the other actors in the series also had their doubts about what the show would be like when they first signed on.
Peter Dinklage, who played Cersei’s brother Tyrion Lannister, revealed that he was initially hesitant to take the role because he wasn’t interested in fantasy, and thought Game of Thrones would just be another fantasy series.
In particular, the actor wanted to steer clear of fantasy shows because he didn’t want to be stuck playing an elf, or any of the other stereotypical characters that people with dwarfism are commonly cast as.
On the other hand, Rory McCann, who played The Hound, recalled that he actually had an inkling that the show “could really kick off” when he read the first book. And he was right!
