Lena Headey slams Hollywood for protecting ‘predatory men’
Lena Headey criticises Hollywood culture after Weinstein allegations
Lena Headey criticised Hollywood for protecting "predatory men" while reflecting on unsafe experiences early in her acting career, also recalling the backlash she faced for using a body double during Game of Thrones.
Headey says industry protected powerful men
Speaking to The Telegraph, the actress discussed her new BBC radio drama Intimacy, which follows an intimacy coordinator confronting a director she says assaulted her years earlier.
Headey said the story was inspired by experiences she witnessed in the entertainment industry before intimacy coordinators became commonplace.
She described feeling unprotected during intimate scenes early in her career and said many young actresses accepted uncomfortable situations because they were grateful to have work.
Reflecting on her previous allegations against former Miramax producer Harvey Weinstein, Headey said her frustration extends beyond one individual.
"The weird protection that we offer predatory men in the business... makes me very angry," she said, adding that the #MeToo movement exposed how widespread the problem was.
Actress recalls Game of Thrones fan backlash
Headey also addressed the criticism she received after it emerged she used a body double for Cersei Lannister's infamous season five walk of shame.
She said she was "really shocked by the anger" from viewers who believed she had deceived the audience.
Headey explained that by then the cast had become so recognisable that filming the scene with thousands of extras made using a body double the right decision for her.
Looking back, she said she was able to advocate for herself because of her experience, while acknowledging younger actresses may have found it harder to speak up.
Focus now on stories for women
Headey said getting older has shifted her priorities toward creating projects centred on women's experiences rather than meeting others' expectations.
Her new BBC radio drama, Intimacy, is now available to stream through BBC Sounds.
