Lena Headey employed a body double for a scene in the finale of Game Of Thrones season 5. Headey’s character Cersei Lannister had to complete a walk of atonement through King’s Landing from her prison at the High Septon to the Red Keep. Surrounded by her social inferiors, Cersei was sworn at and covered in a number of unpleasant fluids (we’ll let you draw your own conclusions as to what they were). For Cersei, who is notoriously proud, it was a serious fall from grace and one she will not forget any time soon. Roll on the wave of revenge in season 6!

Lena HeadeyLena Headey used a body double during filming for the season finale of Game of Thrones season 5.

Read More: The Top Five Moments From Game Of Thrones Season Five [Spoilers].

Headey has previously discussed the significance of Cersei’s walk of atonement as it is crucial for the development of her character. It certainly shows a different side of Cersei we haven’t seen before – tears!

“It won't be Cersei being seductive or sexy,” Headey told Vulture of Cersei’s walk of atonement. “It's better for her regality and her feistiness to not bare her flesh until she has to. When it's out of her control."

However, Headey chose not to appear naked for the scene which took a gruelling and presumably chilly three days to shoot. There have been plenty of rumours about why Headey decided not to appear naked herself. The 41-year-old actress is not shy if one of her roles demands nudity and she famously went bare breasted during a sex scene in 300. One reason put forward to explain Headey’s decision to employ a body double is her pregnancy.

The scene was shot last October in Dubrovnik and Headey was in the early stages of pregnancy. As such, Cinema Blend suggests, Headey may have been reluctant to strip off if she was beginning to show. Headey is expecting her second child, a daughter, with an unnamed partner. Headey has a five-year-old son from her married to musician Peter Loughran. 

Game of Thrones has been renewed for a sixth season but we’ll have to wait until next year (or maybe later) to see Cersei’s decisions after her walk of atonement. 

Read More: Valar Morghulis - But Who Do We Think Will Die In This Season Of Game Of Thrones? [Speculative Spoilers].

Game of ThroensLena Headey as Cersei after her walk of atonement.