Lena Headey: “It’s maybe the first time that Cersei has been at peace.”
Spoiler warning: This post contains spoilers forGame of Thronesseason 8, episode 5.
The queen is dead.
Helen Sloan/HBO
Cersei managed to outwit her enemies time and time again on the acclaimed drama series.
Actress Lena Headey spoke to EW about the characters final moments.
Given Cerseis long list of murderous sins, the character by all rights should be consideredGoTs outright villain.
Shes desperately unhappy and everything thats happened becomes more real than it ever has for her.
She starts to lose control of the situation.
Shes destroyed every good alliance, connection, love in her life she was always destined to be alone.
He kills Euron Greyjoy (Pilou Asbeck) and tries to lead her to safety through a secret passage.
When they discover the passage is blocked, he comforts Cersei as they wait for the inevitable.
Headey says her reaction that final scene was mixed at first.
I wanted her to have some big piece or fight with somebody, she says.
But then the actress talked over the scene with Coster-Waldau and came around to appreciating Cerseis final moments.
The more we talked about it the more it seemed like the perfect end for her, Headey says.
They came into the world together and now they leave together.
I think the biggest surprise is he came back for her.
Cersei realizes just how she loves him and just how much he loves her.
Its the most authentic connection shes ever had.
Ultimately they belong together.
When filming those last scenes, Headey says she was surprised by Coster-Waldaus sentimentality.
I told Nikolaj, Ive never seen you so sweet and sentimental.
And hes all, Whats happening to me?
We kept cuddling going I love you.
Theres a sense of loss that nothing like this will ever happen again.
There was a great sense of grief and an enormous amount of gratitude going on.
Asked about her favorite Cersei scenes across her long list of standout moments, Headey chose a few.
Those early scenes with Tyrion where you saw their relationship develop.
The stuff with Sophie early on.
Everything that shaped these characters.
The scene where she tells her father that her and Jaime were lovers.
We had some great stuff.
I love the juicy dark emotional moments.
