Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV News
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsEmmysHoliday PicksMAMISTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
Sign In
New Customer? Create account
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Biography
  • Awards
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

Lena Headey

  • Actress
  • Producer
  • Director
IMDbProStarmeter87357
Lena Headey
Despite Lena Headey's portrayal of psychopathic Queen Cersei Lannister in the final season of "Game of Thrones", she spent a good part of her early career playing sympathetic characters. "No Small Parts" takes a look at her eclectic rise to fame.
Play video3:13
Lena Headey of "Game of Thrones": "No Small Parts"
99+ Videos
99+ Photos
Lena Headey is a Bermudian-British actress. Headey is best known for her role as "Cersei Lannister" in Game of Thrones (2011) (2011-2019) and Grimmin veljekset (2005), Rakkauden riivaamat (2002), and Pitkän päivän ilta (1993). Headey stars as "Queen Gorgo", a heroic Spartan woman in the period film, 300 (2006), by director Zack Snyder.

Headey was born in Hamilton, Bermuda, to British parents Sue and John Headey. Her father, a Yorkshire police cadet, was stationed in the Bermuda Police Service. She was raised there until age five, when her family returned to England. She was brought up in Yorkshire before moving to London in her teens. Headey had not gone to drama school before she became an actress. At the age of seventeen, Headey's performance in a one-off show in the company of six school friends caught the attention of a casting agent, who took a photo and asked her to audition. Eventually, Headey was cast in Waterland (1992), which became her big-screen debut. She honed her natural acting talent while filming and also took archery classes and horse training. She also took boxing classes in clubs in south London, where a former boxer had been teaching her to spar. During her film career, spanning over 15 years, Headey has shown her range in a variety of roles, playing characters from Amazon-type warriors and action-minded women in The Cave (2005) and Grimmin veljekset (2005), to a lesbian florist in Imagine Me & You (2005).

Headey's film career has taken her all over the world. She was in India for the filming of Viidakkokirja (1994), then in St. Petersburg, Russia, for filming Onegin (1999), and in Norway for filming of Aberdeen (2000). In 2005 Headey was filming in Romania and in Mexico, then spent four months in Prague, Czech Republic, where a forest was designed and built for filming Grimmin veljekset (2005), with Matt Damon and Heath Ledger. During 2006 Headey was in Canada for the filming of 300 (2006), then went to locations in Bulgaria for shooting The Contractor (2007), and Germany and in Czech Republic for the filming of Punainen Paroni (2008).

She also played Gina McVey in the horror thriller The Broken (2008), and Elizabeth in Tell-Tale (2009). In addition to her film-work, Heady appeared as Sarah Connor in a TV spin-off of the popular "Terminator" film franchise, the FOX's television series Sarah Connorin aikakirjat (2008).

Outside of her acting profession, Headey continued taking boxing lessons in London. She is a vegetarian and also remains loyal to yoga, which she discovered during her work in India. She has never been back to her birthplace in Bermuda; she shares her time between her homes in London, England, and Los Angeles, California.
BornOctober 3, 1973
  • View contact info at IMDbPro
BornOctober 3, 1973
IMDbProStarmeter87357
  • View contact info at IMDbPro
  • Nominated for 5 Primetime Emmys
    • 8 wins & 54 nominations total

Lena Headey's Career Through the Years

Lena Headey's Career Through the Years

Lena Headey may be best known for playing Cersei Lannister on "Game of Thrones," but she started her career playing very different characters. Take a look back through her rise to fame.
Watch now
Editorial Image
3:13

Photos448

Lena Headey
Lena Headey in 300 (2006)
Lena Headey in White House Plumbers (2023)
Lena Headey and Karen Gillan in Gunpowder Milkshake (2021)
Lena Headey and Freya Allan in Gunpowder Milkshake (2021)
Lena Headey and Dominic West in 300 (2006)
Lena Headey in 300 (2006)
Lena Headey in 300 (2006)
Lena Headey in 300 (2006)
Gerard Butler and Lena Headey in 300 (2006)
Lena Headey in 300 (2006)
Lena Headey and Sebastian St. Germain in 300 (2006)

Known for:

300 (2006)
300
7.6
  • Queen Gorgo
  • 2006
Sean Bean in Game of Thrones (2011)
Game of Thrones
9.2
TV Series
  • Cersei Lannister
Sam Riley and Lily James in Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (2016)
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
5.8
  • Lady Catherine de Bourgh
  • 2016
Karl Urban in Dredd 3D (2012)
Dredd 3D
7.1
  • Ma-Ma
  • 2012

Credits

Edit
IMDbPro

Actress

  • Beacon 23
    • Aster Calyx
    • Released
    • TV Series
    • 2023
  • New-Gen
    • Thea
    • In Production
    • TV Series
  • The Abandons
    • Fiona
    • In Production
    • TV Series
  • Ballerina Overdrive
    • Pre-production
  • Long Pork
    • Pre-production
    • Short
  • Crooks
    • Pre-production
  • Beacon 23 (2023)
    Beacon 23
    5.3
    TV Series
    • Aster Calyx
    • 2023
  • Woody Harrelson and Justin Theroux in White House Plumbers (2023)
    White House Plumbers
    6.8
    TV Mini Series
    • Dorothy Hunt
    • 2023
  • DC Superlemmikkien liiga (2022)
    DC Superlemmikkien liiga
    7.1
    • Lara (voice)
    • 2022
  • Lena Headey and Sam Worthington in 9 Bullets (2022)
    9 Bullets
    4.1
    • Gypsy
    • 2022
  • Mark Hamill, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Diedrich Bader, Kevin Conroy, Liam Cunningham, Susan Eisenberg, Lena Headey, Justin Long, Jason Mewes, Kevin Michael Richardson, Henry Rollins, Stephen Root, Tony Todd, Griffin Newman, Tiffany Smith, and Chris Wood in Masters of the Universe: Revelation (2021)
    Masters of the Universe: Revelation
    5.5
    TV Series
    • Evil-Lyn
    • God-Lyn
    • Old Hag (voice) ...
    • 2021
  • The Artful Escape (2021)
    The Artful Escape
    7.7
    Video Game
    • Tastemaker (voice)
    • 2021
  • Angela Bassett, Michelle Yeoh, Carla Gugino, Lena Headey, and Karen Gillan in Gunpowder Milkshake (2021)
    Gunpowder Milkshake
    6.1
    • Scarlet
    • 2021
  • Ernie Hudson, Jeremy Crutchley, Ashley Johnson, and Owen Dennis in Infinity Train (2019)
    Infinity Train
    8.4
    TV Series
    • Amelia
    • Conductor
    • The Conductor (voice) ...
    • 2019–2021
  • Michael Caine, Lena Headey, Rita Ora, Franz Drameh, Rafferty Law, and Sophie Simnett in Twist (2021)
    Twist
    4.2
    • Sikes
    • 2021
  • Rita
    TV Movie
    • Rita
    • 2020
  • Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2018)
    Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
    5.8
    TV Series
    • Big Mama (voice)
    • 2018–2020
  • Wizards (2020)
    Wizards
    8.0
    TV Mini Series
    • Morgana (voice)
    • 2020
  • The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (2019)
    The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance
    8.4
    TV Series
    • Maudra Fara (voice)
    • 2019
  • The Flood (2019)
    The Flood
    5.6
    • Wendy
    • 2019
  • Sean Bean in Game of Thrones (2011)
    Game of Thrones
    9.2
    TV Series
    • Cersei Lannister
    • 2011–2019

Producer

  • Beacon 23
    • executive producer
    • Released
    • TV Series
    • 2023
  • Beacon 23 (2023)
    Beacon 23
    5.3
    TV Series
    • executive producer
    • 2023
  • Rita
    TV Movie
    • executive producer
    • 2020
  • The Flood (2019)
    The Flood
    5.6
    • executive producer
    • 2019
  • Dan Cadan, Jamie Foreman, Stephen Graham, Lena Headey, and Pip Carter in The Devil's Wedding (2009)
    The Devil's Wedding
    7.0
    Short
    • executive producer
    • 2009

Director

  • The Trap
    • Director
    • Post-production
  • Maisie Williams in Madeon: Miracle (2020)
    Madeon: Miracle
    6.7
    Music Video
    • Director
    • 2020
  • Michelle Fairley in The Trap (2019)
    The Trap
    8.3
    Short
    • Director
    • 2019
  • Maisie Williams in Freya Ridings: You Mean the World to Me (2019)
    Freya Ridings: You Mean the World to Me
    7.3
    Music Video
    • Director
    • 2019
  • In-development projects at IMDbPro

Videos211

"House of the Dragon" Rises From Ashes of "Game of Thrones" Prequels
Clip 3:28
"House of the Dragon" Rises From Ashes of "Game of Thrones" Prequels
Tyrion's Small Council
Clip 2:01
Tyrion's Small Council
Game of Thrones: The King's Arrival
Clip 1:57
Game of Thrones: The King's Arrival
Game of Thrones: Cersei and Sansa Meet
Clip 1:19
Game of Thrones: Cersei and Sansa Meet
Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV
Clip 1:41
Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV
Imagine Me & You
Clip 0:53
Imagine Me & You
Imagine Me & You
Clip 0:55
Imagine Me & You
300
Clip 0:40
300
300
Clip 0:51
300
The Dragon and the Wolf Final Scene
Clip 4:44
The Dragon and the Wolf Final Scene
'Fighting with My Family' Cast Are Now WWE Converts
Interview 4:43
'Fighting with My Family' Cast Are Now WWE Converts
300
Interview 0:22
300

Personal details

Edit
  • Official sites
    • Cameo
    • Facebook Fan Page
  • Alternative name
    • Lena Heady
  • Height
    • 1.66 m
  • Born
    • October 3, 1973
    • Hamilton, Bermuda
  • Spouses
      Marc MenchacaOctober 6, 2022 - present
  • Children
      Wylie Elliot Loughran
  • Parents
      John Headey
  • Other works
    Stage: Appeared in "The Coca-Cola Dragon" at Theatre Challenge.
  • Publicity listings
    • 5 Interviews
    • 4 Articles
    • 3 Pictorials
    • 6 Magazine Cover Photos

Did you know

Edit
  • Trivia
    Was pregnant with her son Wylie much of the shooting of Game of Thrones (2011)'s Season 1. The production team was so enthusiastic about her performance that they didn't recast the role but instead worked around it. For example, directors kept the camera frame above her waist or had her sit at a table. For wide shots when Cersei was walking around, most of her costumes had large billowing sleeves which she carried in front of her to hide her pregnancy. At other times body doubles were shot from behind in quick cuts. She was in the early stages of pregnancy with her daughter Teddy when Season 5's filming ended and gave birth to Teddy the same month the season has premiered.
  • Quotes
    We've all had that moment where you look into someone's eyes and there's some kind of recognition there, whether you act on it or not.
  • Trademarks
      Distinctive smooth and rich voice
  • Salaries
      Game of Thrones
      (2011)
      $500,000 an episode (season 7)

Related news

Contribute to this page

Suggest an edit or add missing content
  • Learn more about contributing
Edit page

More to explore

Production art
List
November Releases You Can't Miss
See our picks
Still frame
List
Top 10 Most Popular Indian Stars of 2023
See the list

Add demo reel with IMDbPro

Demo reel thumbnail
Make your IMDb page stand out by adding a demo reel
Upload your demo reel

Add demo reel with IMDbPro

Make your IMDb page stand out by adding a demo reel
Upload your demo reel
Demo reel thumbnail

How much have you seen?

Keep track of how much of Lena Headey’s work you have seen. Go to your list.
Poster
List
Hannah P's Picks: 'Saltburn,' "Fargo," and More
See her picks

Recently viewed

You have no recently viewed pages
Get the IMDb App
Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
  • Get the IMDb App
  • Help
  • Site Index
  • IMDbPro
  • Box Office Mojo
  • IMDb Developer
  • Press Room
  • Advertising
  • Jobs
  • Conditions of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Your Ads Privacy Choices
IMDb, an Amazon company

© 1990-2023 by IMDb.com, Inc.