Lena Headey

Biography

Lena Kathren Headey (born October 3, 1973) is a British actress. She gained international recognition and acclaim for her portrayal of Cersei Lannister on the HBO epic fantasy drama series Game of Thrones (2011–2019), for which she received five Primetime Emmy Award nominations and a Golden Globe Award nomination. Headey made her film debut in the mystery drama Waterland (1992). She continued to work steadily in British and American films and on television, before gaining further recognition with her lead performances in the films The Brothers Grimm (2005) and 300 (2007). Her other film credits include The Remains of the Day (1993), The Jungle Book (1994), Mrs Dalloway (1997), Ripley's Game (2002), Imagine Me & You (2005), Dredd (2012), The Purge (2013), 300: Rise of an Empire (2014), Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (2016), and Fighting with My Family (2019). Outside of film, Headey starred as Sarah Connor in the science fiction television series Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (2008–2009) and had a recurring role as Amelia Hughes in the animated web series Infinity Train (2019–2021). She provided voices for the role-playing video game Risen (2009) and the video game tie-in film Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV (2016), as well as the animated series Danger Mouse (2015–2017) and Trollhunters (2017–2018), and puppet-animated series The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (2019).

Known For

Game of Thrones

Late Night with Seth Meyers

RuPaul's Drag Race

RuPaul's Drag Race

The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson

White Collar

Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles

All Movies (67)

• Ballistic2026 · as Nance Redfield
• Normal2026 · as Moira
• Long Pork2025 · as Lily
• DC League of Super-Pets2022 · as Lara (voice)
• 9 Bullets2022 · as Gypsy Moon
• Gunpowder Milkshake2021 · as Scarlet
• Twist2021 · as Sikes
• The Flood2019 · as Wendy
• Game of Thrones: The Last Watch2019 · as Self
• Fighting with My Family2019 · as Julia 'Sweet Saraya' Knight
• Walk Like a Panther2018 · as Miss Winters
• Leading Lady Parts2018 · as Actress #6
• Thumper2017 · as Ellen
• Pride and Prejudice and Zombies2016 · as Lady Catherine de Bourgh
• Zipper2015 · as Jeannie Ellis
• Unity2015 · as Narrator (voice)
• Game of Thrones: A Day in the Life2015 · as Self
• Game of Thrones The IMAX Experience2015 · as Cersei Lannister
• 300: Rise of an Empire2014 · as Queen Gorgo
• Low Down2014 · as Sheila Albany
• The Adventurer: The Curse of the Midas Box2013 · as Monica
• The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones2013 · as Jocelyn Fray
• The Purge2013 · as Mary Sandin
• Grimm Fairy Tales Animated2012 · as Sela Mathers
• Dredd2012 · as Ma-Ma
• Pete Smalls Is Dead2010 · as Shannah
• Tell-Tale2009 · as Elizabeth
• Laid to Rest2009 · as Cindy
• The Devil's Wedding2009 · as The Devil's Bride
• The Broken2008 · as Gina McVey
• Whore2008 · as Mom
• The Red Baron2008 · as Käthe
• St Trinian's2007 · as Miss Dickinson
• The Contractor2007 · as DI Annette Ballard
• 3002007 · as Gorgo
• Ultra2006 · as Penny / Ultra
• Imagine Me & You2006 · as Luce
• Round About Five2005 · as Girlfriend
• The Brothers Grimm2005 · as Angelika
• The Cave2005 · as Dr. Kathryn Jennings
• The Actors2003 · as Dolores
• Black Plague2002 · as Lady Matilda Mellerby
• Ripley's Game2002 · as Sarah Trevanny
• Possession2002 · as Blanche Glover
• The Gathering Storm2002 · as Ava Wigram
• The Parole Officer2001 · as Emma
• Aberdeen2000 · as Kaisa
• Gossip2000 · as Cathy Jones
• Onegin1999 · as Olga
• Inside-Out1999 · as Window-dresser
• The Man with Rain in His Shoes1998 · as Sylvia Weld
• Face1997 · as Connie
• Mrs. Dalloway1997 · as Young Sally
• The Grotesque1995 · as Cleo Coal
• Loved Up1995 · as Sarah
• The Jungle Book1994 · as Katherine 'Kitty' Brydon
• MacGyver: Trail to Doomsday1994 · as Elise Moran
• Fair Game1994 · as Ellie
• Century1993 · as Miriam
• The Clothes in the Wardrobe1993 · as Margaret
• The Remains of the Day1993 · as Lizzie
• Waterland1992 · as Young Mary
• Jacqueline Ess— · as Jacqueline Ess
• Rita— · as Rita
• Divine Blood— · as Ruth George
• Red, White & Royal Wedding— · as Princess Catherine
• Oh, How Fun!—

All TV Shows (39)

• The Abandons2025 · as Fiona Nolan
• Masters of the Universe: Revolution2024 · as Evil-Lyn (voice)
• Beacon 232023 · as Aster Calyx
• SmartLess: On the Road2023
• White House Plumbers2023 · as Dorothy Hunt
• Masters of the Universe: Revelation2021 · as Evil-Lyn (voice)
• Revelations: The Masters of the Universe: Revelation Aftershow2021 · as Self
• Wizards: Tales of Arcadia2020 · as Morgana (voice)
• The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance2019 · as Maudra Fara (voice)
• Infinity Train2019 · as Amelia / Teacher (voice)
• Infinity Train2019 · as The Conductor / Amelia (voice)
• Under A Rock with Tig Notaro2019 · as Self - Guest
• Sally4Ever2018 · as Lena Headey
• Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles2018 · as Big Mama (voice)
• Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia2016 · as Morgana
• Danger Mouse2015 · as Jeopardy Mouse (voice)
• Running Wild with Bear Grylls2014 · as Self
• Late Night with Seth Meyers2014 · as Self
• Uncle Grandpa2013 · as Aunt Grandma (voice)
• Game of Thrones2011 · as Cersei Lannister
• White Collar2009 · as Sally
• RuPaul's Drag Race2009 · as Self - Guest Judge
• RuPaul's Drag Race2009 · as Self - Special Guest
• Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles2008 · as Sarah Connor
• The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson2005 · as Self
• The Long Firm2004 · as Ruby Ryder
• Jimmy Kimmel Live!2003 · as Self
• Merlin1998 · as Guinevere
• The Hunger1997 · as Steph Reynolds
• Ballykissangel1996 · as Jenny Clark
• Band of Gold1995 · as Colette
• Devil's Advocate1995 · as Clare Rigby
• Kavanagh Q.C.1995 · as Natasha Jackson
• Soldier Soldier1991 · as Shenna Bowles
• Spender1991 · as Emily Goodman
• Shark Week1988 · as Narrator
• Screen Two1985 · as Margaret
• Project Codename—
• New-Gen— · as Thea (Voice)