There are a lot of movies on the 2026 movie schedule that I know I'm going to go out of my way to see, and then there are the movies that will grab my attention with a trailer or a TV spot, and I'll decide to see it on the fly. That's what happened this week with Normal. Ben Wheatley's new action movie, which is also a bit of a crime thriller, wasn't on my radar until recently, but one trailer plus a glimpse of its cast was enough to get me to show up at the theater this week to check it out. I'm glad I did, because Normal was a ton of fun -- pretty much everything it was advertised to be. Beyond that, I had one clear thought about why I liked the movie so much, and it really comes down to Bob Odenkirk.

No major Normal spoilers ahead.

Bob Odenkirk Deserves A Lot Of Credit

I'm not here to give Odenkirk all of the credit for why I enjoyed the film, though he does deserve a lot of it, as he's not only the star but also one of the writers and a producer. What I've been thinking about is more than just seeing another great performance by the Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad star. Those of us who are familiar with Odenkirk's work on screen know what to expect from him. It's the movie itself that's elevated by Odenkirk and the rest of the cast's performances. This movie is a perfect example of why casting is so important, and why films that might be categorized as fun crime action thrillers can be really good movies with the right people involved.

What Normal Is About

Odenkirk plays Ulysses, an interim sheriff who's getting the lay of the land in small-town Normal, Minnesota. From the start, we're more or less in Ulysses' point of view as he meets with the locals and scopes out what seems like a dated but charming wintery town. It's clear from the start that something is off, but for the most part, Ulysses just asks questions and silently recognizes the cagey remarks he receives from just about everyone. And then the stuff hits the proverbial fan when two bank robbers show up and unknowingly tear the mask off this seemingly ordinary town.

Things escalate from there, with lots of action and violence throughout. All the while, we're still getting to know Ulysses, who's bearing the weight of his past as a lawman, and a handful of supporting characters who fall on either side of this rapidly and violently developing situation.

I Realized Partway Through That I Was Genuinely Invested In The Story

Here's the thing -- there are plenty of movies like Normal out there, and I won't pretend most of them are high-quality cinema. We enjoy them because they're fun, and because we want to see the good guys win and the bad guys get what's coming to them. In that respect, without going into specifics on who lives and who dies, Normal delivers, while also throwing in some twists and turns along the way.

Most importantly, Odenkirk made me care about his character from the start. Ulysses is a lot of things, including tired, frustrated, occasionally funny, remorseful, and a bit sad. He's also sharp and unrelenting when push comes to shove, which it does. Odenkirk brought so much to his character that I felt completely invested by the time the third act hit. Ulysses' backstory could have easily felt like filler with a lesser actor, but because Odenkirk brings all of his character's layers to the surface at the right times throughout the film, it makes Normal a truly satisfying story, in addition to being a fun bit of snow-covered action.

I also need to shout out the supporting cast. Henry Winkler plays the mayor in this film, and not a moment of his talent is wasted. Lena Headey delivers a subtle performance as Moira, another local, who connects with Ulysses early on. Reena Jolly and Brendan Fletcher play the bank robber catalysts of this whole situation, Lori and Keith, respectively. And then there's Jess McLeod's character Alex, a young adult who gets involved in the story partway through. I don't want to get into too many specifics about how they factor in, but I adored Alex from the start and was as invested in their story as I was Ulysses'.

It's Easy To Picture A Version Of This Movie I Watched Then Forgot All About

I can see a movie like Normal getting made with a cast that's fine enough, but as I picture it in my mind, that version of the film relies a lot on bullets flying, stunt sequences and one-liners. Don't get me wrong, those are some great staples of action films and thrillers. Those movies are fun while we're watching them, but don't leave much (if any) lasting impression. That's all fine and good, but Normal reminded me of how much better a movie like this can be with the right cast.

The version we got -- the one with Odenkirk as the star, and the great supporting cast -- is why I'll remember this movie beyond the next few days. It's also why I'll surely watch it again when it comes to streaming. And perhaps most importantly, it's why I hope we continue to see more fun movies like this that bring in great acting talent.

Normal is now playing in theaters. While I think it'd be a fun movie to watch whenever it's released on streaming, especially if you love a good action movie and crime thriller, I also think it's the perfect movie to watch on the big screen when you just feel like going to the movies. If this kind of movie is your thing, Normal checks all the boxes and more, plus the critics seem to like it overall.

After her iconic run on Game of Thrones, Lena Headey has stayed busy across television and film. Still, one of her more intriguing projects never actually made it to the screen. She was quietly cast in a mystery role for 2022’s mixed-reviewed Marvel movie, Thor: Love and Thunder, only for her scenes to be cut before the final version was released. Now, Headey is finally opening up about what that role involved, and it sounds like a much stranger addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe than I had expected. Honestly, I so wish we could have seen this.

Speaking with ScreenRant, Headey shared that her role placed her in a bizarre coven, a trio of witches she described as equally chaotic and comedic. The concept, which apparently was a completely original creation from director Taika Waititi, would have been pretty out there. As she described it:

The idea of three witches with this sort of “insanity” definitely feels like it would have fit right into Taika Waititi’s approach to the Thor franchise, especially after the tonal shift introduced in Thor: Ragnarok and continued, maybe to its detriment, in Love & Thunder. The idea of a sort of comedic coven guiding the God of Thunder through the underworld sounds like exactly the kind of offbeat detour that film leaned into. Headey continued:

It sounds like the trio of witches could have delivered something memorable, even within a film packed with larger-than-life characters. Though it's worth noting that a lot of MCU fans felt that Love & Thunder pushed a little too far into Taika Waititi’s comedic voice, undercutting the movie’s more dramatic undertones and storyline. So this particular group of characters being left on the cutting-room floor may have been for the best.

This doesn't sound like a single cameo being trimmed for time, either, but a full concept that may not have quite fit the final version of the movie. That happens more often than people realize, especially in large-scale productions and new superhero movies where tone and pacing are constantly being adjusted during editing. Why was this storyline cut? It's hard to tell, but given the over-the-top nature of the rest of the movie, it may be a blessing in disguise. Though I won't lie, I wish we could have seen these witches on the big screen.

Released in June 2022, Thor: Love and Thunder marked Taika Waititi’s return to the MCU after Thor: Ragnarok and went on to earn more than $760 million worldwide, landing mixed reactions from critics but a stronger response from audiences.

Even without her scenes making the final cut in Thor, Headey hasn’t slowed down post-Game of Thrones. While her recent Western series The Abandons didn’t move forward, she’s already onto her next project, the thriller Ballistic, where she plays a grieving mother pulled into a deeper mystery surrounding her son’s death.

Both of Taika Waititi’s Thor films, sans Lena Headey, are available to stream with a Disney+ subscription. But, if you want to catch the former Game of Thrones star in her latest project, you're in luck because Ballistic hits the 2026 movie calendar and theaters on Friday, April 17, 2026.

Everyone loves a ruthless TV villain. From Cersei Lannister to J.R. Ewing to Mr. Burns, great villains come in all kinds of ways on our television schedule. They may be cold and calculating, or they may be impulsive and crazy, but a great villain always makes for a much better show. This is a list of just a few of my favorite and most ruthless villains in TV history. Enjoy! If you don't, they may come for you.

J.R. Ewing (Dallas)

J.R. Ewing (Larry Hagman) was a villain who was so cunning and so ruthless that when he was shot on the Season 3 finale of Dallas, literally all of America waited months to find out who shot him. It wasn't just one of the best cliffhangers ever; it was a cultural moment that I don't think will ever be matched.

Livia Soprano (The Sopranos)

When you're a mob boss and your worst enemy is your mother, you know you're in a bad spot. Livia Soprano, Tony's domineering and, frankly, nasty, mother, played by the late Nancy Marchand, was a brilliant antagonist for the powerful boss of the family. She was so underhanded and so unhinged at times, you never knew just what she was capable of or if there was any good in her at all. It would have been amazing to see where her character went, had we not tragically lost Marchand during the show's run.

Kilgrave (Jessica Jones)

Kilgrave, played by David Tennant in Jessica Jones, just might be my favorite comic book villain in the modern era. The fact that his ability to change the reality you understand in your own head is diabolical and terrifying. Tennant's performance is flat-out amazing.

Gus Fring (Breaking Bad)

Giancarlo Esposito's performance as Gus Fring, the mortal enemy of Walter White (Bryan Cranston) in Breaking Bad, is simply terrifying. He's calm and cold while exacting terrible violence. He's ruthless in his pursuit to control the game, and he's completely without remorse. It's the perfect combination to make an amazing villain.

Nina Myers (24)

There is nothing more ruthless than turning on your co-worker and country, like Nina Myers (Sarah Clarke) did in Season 1 of 24. It was a moment that completely blew viewers' minds, who never could have predicted that Jack Bauer's right-hand woman would end up the villain.

Negan (The Walking Dead)

I'll make a confession here: Negan (Jefferey Dean Morgan) was too much for me. I started to tune out of The Walking Dead right about the time he entered. He was just too violent and too mean for me to keep going. The Walking Dead had a number of great villains, but for me, he's the king of the worst.

The Trinity Killer (Dexter)

The only person to actually match wits with Dexter on the show of the same name was, of course, Arthur Mitchell, aka The Trinity Killer, played by the brilliant John Lithgow. He was an unbelievable foe for everyone's favorite anti-hero/serial killer and a big reason the show was as successful as it was over the years.

Aunt Lydia (The Handmaid's Tale)

The Handmaid's Tale is one of the hardest shows to watch, ever. There is just so much evil throughout virtually every moment of the show. That evil is personified by Aunt Lydia (Ann Dowd), the "aunt" who is "caring" for June Osborne/Offred and her fellow handmaids. It's impossible to sum up just how evil she is.

Moriarty (Sherlock)

One of the greatest villains in Western literature is Moriarty from the Sherlock Holmes books. On the show Sherlock, Moriarty is portrayed perfectly in a modernized way by Andrew Scott. He is a master criminal, sure, but really, he just wants to torment our hero, Sherlock (Benedict Cumberbatch)

Mr. Burns (The Simpsons)

Any villain who once tried to block out the sun to drive up profits for his company belongs on this list. Mr. Burns' attempt to shroud Springfield in darkness on The Simpsons led to dozens of suspects after he was shot. Of course, it was actually CM Burms' attempt to steal candy from a baby that actually got him shot. It's a toss-up as to which is worse.

Homelander (The Boys)

One of the most disturbing villains you can watch with a Prime subscription has to be Homelander from The Boys. He finally answers the question: "What if Superman were evil?" Luckily, he's as funny as he is scary, which makes him as watchable as any other baddie on this list.

Cersei Lannister (Game Of Thrones)

One show that gave us all multiple villains that could be on this is Game of Thrones. Perhaps the most coniving, most ruthless, and most disturbing of them all was Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey). She made it (almost) to the bitter end of the show after setting herself up as the villain very early on. She wasn't alone, but she was the most dangerous in the game.

Vern Schillinger (Oz)

Vern Schillinger (J.K. Simmons) is the personification of evil on Oz. The racist prisoner was ruthless, but he was also weak in a lot of ways, making him even more dangerous.

Al Swearengen (Deadwood)

There are no villains on this list with the verbal panache of Al Swearengen on Deadwood. Ian McShane's performance, delivering those amazing lines like only he could, made Swearengen a fan favorite, despite just how awful he could be. Just hope he doesn't turn that silver tongue on you, or you might get fed to the pigs next.

Ben Linus (Lost)

This first season on Lost saw the castaways mostly fighting among themselves. There was no real "villain" until the 14th episode of the show's second season. That is when Henry Gale is captured by Rousseau. Soon, we would all learn his real name, Ben Linus, and his real motive, and they weren't benevolent. Actor Michael Emerson played the role perfectly.

Wilson Fisk (Daredevil)

Matching his brains with tremendous brawn, Kingpin (Vincent D'Onofrio) has everything he needs to be one of the most powerful baddies on this list. In both the original Daredevil, which streamed on Netflix before moving to Disney+, and Daredevil: Reborn, Kingpin is as formidable as any villain ever. It doesn't hurt to have the talented D'Onofrio playing the supervillain, one of Marvel's best.

Alexis Carrington (Dynasty)

What J.R. Ewing did for Dallas, Alexis Carrington (Joan Collins) did for Dynasty. The show was a direct response to Dallas, and it had the same vibe, and Alexis was just as conniving and ruthless as J.R.

Skeletor (He-Man And The Masters Of The Universe)

This one is personal. When I was a kid, I was actually a little scared of Skeletor in the original He-Man And The Masters Of The Universe cartoon. He's been the central villain throughout all of the various versions of the franchise. He was thwarted most of the time, but he never stopped coming at He-Man and his cohorts.

Hannibal Lecter (Hannibal)

One of the most ruthless and terrifying villains on TV and on the silver screen has to be Hannibal Lecter. The cannibal psychiatrist was played by Mads Mikkelsen on the show Hannibal, after Sir Anthony Hopkins won an Oscar playing the role in The Silence Of The Lambs. Whomever plays him, he's pure evil.

Marlo Stanfield (The Wire)

One of the things that makes The Wire such an amazing show, one of the best shows ever in the peak era of television, was that there were very few pure villains. Every character, cop or criminal, was presented in shades of gray. Some good, some bad. One character that was pretty much all bad, however, was Marlo Stanfield (Jamie Hector). His takeover of the drug trade in Baltimore was as ruthless a takeover as you could imagine. He was cold and calculating, but he wasn't afraid to be as violent as he could.

Sue Sylvester (Glee)

Sue Sylvester might not be the most violent or the most criminal villain on this list, but that doesn't mean that she is any less ruthless in the pursuit of her goals than anyone else on this list. The great Jane Lynch was born to play the role, too. She was not only ruthless, she was hilarious. The perfect example of a character we all love to hate, and that's a complete compliment to the great Ms. Lynch.

Damon Pope (Sons Of Anarchy)

It wasn't often that SAMCRO ran up against a foe that they couldn't take out pretty easily in Sons of Anarchy. Damon Pope, played by Harold Perrineau, was one exception to that rule. Pope was the main antagonist in Season 5 of the show, and he was responsible for one of the most brutal deaths in SOA history when he arranged Opie's death in front of his brothers. I still get sick to my stomach just thinking about it.

Joffery Baratheon (Game Of Thrones)

In a show full of villains, Joffrey Baratheon was the most unpredictable and the most ruthlessly violent. He was a terrible sadist, as shown over and over, and he had absolutely no morals. He is among the most hated TV villains of all time.

Thomas Barrow (Downton Abbey)

Downton Abbey isn't a show that jumps out as having any ruthless villains, but Thomas Barrow (Rob James-Collier) definitely fits the bill here. He's conniving, sniveling, and awful. Sometimes his motives don't even seem reasonable, but that doesn't stop him from trying to undermine his perceived enemies.

Ralph Cifaretto (The Sopranos)

The Sopranos never really found a villain quite as evil as Livia Soprano, but when Ralph Cifaretto (Joe Pantoliano) returns from Miami in Season 3, we did get a formidable foe to Tony. He was rash and violent, but he also always found a way to justify his questionable decisions, even when they went against Tony's orders.

Amanda Woodward (Melrose Place)

As a spinoff of Beverly Hills, 90210, Melrose Place was decidedly more "adult," not just in the age of the characters, but in the way those characters acted and were treated. 90210 didn't really have villains, but Melrose had Amanda Woodward, played by the wonderful Heather Locklear. While she did garner some sympathy as the seasons rolled on, in the beginning, she was 100% villain.

Newman (Seinfeld)

There aren't a whole lot of villains in sitcoms, at least, not any as devious as Jerry's neighbor Newman (Wayne Knight). He was buddies with Kramer, but a sworn enemy of Jerry's, and it made every single interaction between the two characters hilarious. The disdain they had for each other was palpable every time they met. Newman and Jerry got along.

Sideshow Bob (The Simpsons)

While Mr. Burns is a villain to everyone in Springfield (even Smithers most of the time), Sideshow Bob (voiced by Kelsey Grammer) is a villain to just one poor kid in town, Bart Simpson. Over the years, the Bond Villain-like Bob has come up with all kinds of schemes to take out who he thinks is his nemesis, but he is thwarted each time. It's made for some of the best episodes of The Simpsons.

Sylar (Heroes)

Sylar (Zachary Quinto) was not only ruthless on Heroes, but he was insanely powerful, and that made him one of the scariest villains on this whole list. Zachary Quinto played the role masterfully,

The Governor (The Walking Dead)

Of all the villains in The Walking Dead, The Governor, played by David Morrissey in Seasons 3 and 4, is one of the most menacing. Maybe it's the eye patch, but there was always something very unsettling about him, even when he wasn't being totally awful (which was rare). The villains got more violent as the show went on, but they didn't get any scarier than The Governor.

Villanelle (Killing Eve)

Villanelle's cat-and-mouse game with Eve (Sandra Oh) is what makes the show so great. Jodie Comer, who plays Villanelle, and Sandra Oh have great on-screen chemistry, which is often underrated when it comes to great villains on TV. Sometimes, the back-and-forth is what makes the adversaries great.

Rowan Pope (Scandal)

It's always bad when your most ruthless enemy is part of your family. For Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington), her father, Rowan Pope (Joe Morton), was the one enemy who knew how to really twist the knife in the normally unflappable Olivia.

HBO doesn't have a monopoly on prestige television, but they are the king of it. The network loves to work with the same people who have proved they have what it takes to make great shows. That includes many of the same great actors who appear on more than one show. Some of these actors have appeared in three or four (or more) shows over the years, but for this list, we're sticking with at least two, usually the ones they are best known for. Actors like Wendell Pierce, Cynthia Nixon, and many more.

Wendell Pierce - The Wire And Treme

Wendell Pierce first broke out as the best-dressed detective in the Baltimore Homicide Unit on The Wire. Pierce's character, Bunk Moreland, appears in every episode of the show. A couple of years after The Wire ended in 2008, the show's creator returned to HBO with Treme, and it was a natural fit to include Pierce, who is a New Orleans native, in the cast.

Carrie Coon - The Gilded Age And The White Lotus

2025 was a huge year for Carrie Coon on HBO. Not only did she return for Season 3 of The Gilded Age as the determined high society lady, Bertha Russell, but she also killed it on the third season of the anthology series The White Lotus. She stole the show with her monologue in the final episode of that show, while continuing to dominate New York society in the 1880s in The Gilded Age.

Steve Buscemi - The Wire And Boardwalk Empire

Steve Buscemi's first appearance on HBO came when he joined the cast of The Sopranos as Tony Blundetto, Tony Soprano's cousin, in Season 5 of the legendary peak TV-era show. He wasn't on the show long, but a couple of years later, he played a much bigger role on Boardwalk Empire. He played the fictional mob boss Nucky Thompson in the period piece created by Sopranos writer Terrance Winter.

Evan Rachel Wood - True Blood And Westworld

Evan Rachel Wood started her career as a talented child actor and made her first appearance on HBO as a recurring character in True Blood. She made an even bigger splash on the network as one of the main characters in Westworld. Wood also appeared in the miniseries Mildred Pierce on HBO.

Alexander Skarsgård - True Blood And Big Little Lies

Alexander Skarsgård is a true HBO regular. His first show for the network, the limited series Generation Kill, aired in 2008 and he returned to the network that same year as a series regular in the vampire hit True Blood. While still starring on that show, he made a one-off appearance in the series finale of Eastbound and Down. He was a main cast member on Big Little Lies, playing a very dark character (and earning an Emmy in the process), before he took on a notable guest-starring role in Succession, earning two more Emmy nominations.

Sydney Sweeney - Euphoria And The White Lotus

Sydney Sweeney burst onto the scene alongside her castmates in the teen drama Euphoria on HBO in 2019 and in 2022, she also appeared in Season 1 of The White Lotus. She earned not one, but two Emmy nominations that year, one for each show.

Edie Falco - Oz And The Sopranos

The HBO show Oz was an early entry in the "peak TV era" from the network, running for six seasons in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The cast of Oz was stacked and included Edie Falco as Officer Diane Whittlesey. That isn't the show she is most famous for on the network, of course. As Falco's time was coming to a close, she landed the role of a lifetime as Carmela Soprano in The Sopranos, and her amazing performances earned her three Emmy awards.

Aidan Gillen - Game Of Thrones And The Wire

Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish in Game of Thrones is one of the great TV villains of all time, and the character was played brilliantly by Aidan Gillen. It wasn't Gillen's first major role on HBO, as that came a few years earlier when he played the ambitious politician Tommy Carcetti on the final three seasons of The Wire.

Cynthia Nixon - And Just Like That And The Gilded Age

itsCynthia Nixon has been a staple on HBO for decades now, starring as Miranda Hobbes in And Just Like That... and it's predecessor. She's also one of the stars of the incredible period drama The Gilded Age as the spinster-turned-wealthy widow Ada Forte, née Brook.

Michiel Huisman - Game Of Thrones And Treme

Treme, which ran for four seasons on HBO, had a whole host of actors who were HBO regulars. Michiel Huisman, who played the musician only known as "Sonny" on the New Orleans-based show, was also starring in a little show called Game of Thrones at the same time on the network, playing Daario Naharis.

Michelle Monaghan - True Detective And The White Lotus

It must be incredibly rewarding for any actor to have the opportunity to star in two anthology shows on HBO. Michelle Monaghan knows exactly how it feels. She first starred in Season 1 of True Detective and, more recently, was part of the stellar cast of Season 3 of The White Lotus.

Michael K. Williams - The Wire And Boardwalk Empire

The late Michael K. Williams left behind an incredible legacy at HBO. He was, of course, one of the most incredible TV characters of all time as Omar Little on The Wire, and he followed that up with a great turn as a gangster in 1920s New Jersey in Boardwalk Empire. Those weren't his only appearances on the network. He popped up in a one-off scene on The Sopranos in 2001, then later in the miniseries The Night Of. His final television credit before his tragic death was on the HBO show Lovecraft Country.

Alexandra Daddario - The White Lotus And True Detective

Before earning an Emmy nomination for her great turn as newlywed Rachel Patton in Season 1 of The White Lotus, Alexandra Daddario had a recurring role on another HBO anthology series, True Detective, during its first season. She even had a cameo early in her career in The Sopranos.

Murray Bartlett - The White Lotus And The Last Of Us

It's easy to see why The White Lotus was such a monster hit when it aired its first season, with Murray Bartlett stealing the show as the hotel manager who gets caught in a serious downward spiral as the show goes on. He's hilarious and heartbreaking at the same time. Later, he was cast in "Long, Long Time," one of the most beloved episodes of The Last of Us, as Frank, the deceased lover of Bill, played by Nick Offerman. While it was only one episode, it was so good that we had to include it here. Bartlett was also a regular cast member on the HBO show Looking.

Danny McBride - Eastbound And Down And The Righteous Gemstones

What is there to be said about Danny McBride's various sitcoms on HBO? After making his name in supporting roles in movies like Pineapple Express and Tropic Thunder, he arrived on HBO in the now-legendary Eastbound and Down. His next hit for the network was Vice Principals alongside Walton Goggins, and then as Jesse Gemstone on The Righteous Gemstones.

Clarke Peters - The Wire And Treme

It's hard to believe that The Wire is one of those shows that never won an Emmy. That goes double for the excellent cast, including the great Clarke Peters, who played Lester Freamon in all five seasons of the show. Like some of his co-stars on the show, he also appeared in Treme on HBO.

Jeanne Tripplehorn - The Gilded Age And Big Love

Jeanne Tripplehorn is a veteran actor whose career stretches back to 1992's Basic Instinct. She was a big part of Big Love on HBO as Bill's only legal wife in the show about polygamy in Utah. Tripplehorn also starred in a recurring role on The Gilded Age as a disgraced high society outcast who happens to be one of the kindest characters on the show. She was also nominated for an Emmy for her role as Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis in Grey Gardens on HBO.

Jeffrey Wright - Westworld And Boardwalk Empire

Jeffrey Wright is one of the best actors of his generation, and he's had an opportunity to show off just how great he is in multiple HBO shows. First, he won an Emmy for his role in the miniseries Angels in America. Later, he had a recurring role on Boardwalk Empire, before his fantastic turn on Westworld, for which he was nominated for three more Emmys, but sadly didn't win one. In 2025, he reprised his voice role in The Last of Us video game in the HBO adaptation.

Jamie-Lynn Sigler - The Sopranos And Entourage

Jamie-Lynn Sigler occupies an interesting spot here. Of course, she's best known for her role as Meadow Soprano on The Sopranos. Her next role on HBO came in a role that was a fictionalized version of herself dating Turtle in Entourage.

Walton Goggins - Vice Principals And The White Lotus

Walton Goggins has been one of the hardest-working actors in Hollywood for many years, and in 2025, he really upped his profile with his fantastic performance in Season 3 of The White Lotus. It was his third major show on HBO after Vice Principals and The Righteous Gemstones.

Lena Headey - Game Of Thrones And The White House Plumbers

She played one of the greatest villains of all time on Game of Thrones, and Lena Headey returned to HBO in 2023 in the underrated miniseries The White House Plumbers, where she played Dorothy Hunt, wife of one of the Watergate burglars, E. Howard Hunt.

Pedro Pascal - Game Of Thrones And The Last Of Us

Like a lot of actors, Pedro Pascal put in a ton of work early in his career with one-off roles in every show you can imagine. Then, in 2014, he was cast as Oberyn Martell on Game of Thrones, and his career blew up. More recently, he's been breaking hearts on The Last of Us on HBO.

Indira Varma - Game Of Thrones And Rome

The Game of Thrones cast was absolutely stacked, including the great Indira Varma, who played Ellaria Sand in 13 episodes of the show. That wasn't her first time in an HBO show, however. In 2005, she starred as Niobe in two seasons of Rome, the incredibly underrated (and expensive to produce) historical drama created by John Milius.

Jim True-Frost - The Wire And Treme

Jim True-Frost's character in The Wire has one of the most interesting character arcs on a show full of great arcs. His performance as Roland Pryzbylewski was, like so many others on the show, nothing short of excellent. Like others on The Wire, True-Frost also starred in Treme. He even had a cameo in Boardwalk Empire as legendary lawman Eliot Ness.

Kim Dickens - Deadwood And Treme

Kim Dickens has a stellar television resume, and two jewels on that CV are both HBO shows. First, she was one of the main characters, Joanie, in Deadwood. Later, she starred on Treme.

John Hawkes - Deadwood And Eastbound And Down

The original cast of Deadwood was a bunch of heavyweights, including John Hawkes, who played Sol throughout the run of the show. A few years later, the versatile actor returned to HBO in a completely different kind of role as the brother of Kenny Powers in Eastbound & Down. Most recently, he put in a fantastic performance in Season 4 of the anthology series True Detective.

Rose Leslie - Game Of Thrones And The Time Traveler's Wife

The Time Traveler's Wife is one of the more under-the-radar shows in HBO history. Rose Leslie led the cast of the show that was canceled after one season, despite a passionate fanbase. Of course, Leslie first became a star on HBO as Ygritte on Game of Thrones.

Bobby Cannavale - Boardwalk Empire And Vinyl

Bobby Cannavale really made his name on HBO as the volatile gangster Gyp Rosetti in Boardwalk Empire, though his first gig on the network was in a small role on Six Feet Under. After Boardwalk Empire, he teamed up with the creators of Vinyl, starring in the lone season of the short-lived show.

Edi Patterson - The Righteous Gemstones And Vice Principals

The Righteous Gemstones and Vice Principals are two shows that were perfect for Edi Patterson. She's wonderful at playing quirky characters, fitting in great with the cast of both of those shows.

Domenick Lombardozzi - The Wire And Boardwalk Empire

Herc in The Wire is an obnoxious character that is hard to love, but Domenick Lombardozzi's performance charms everyone who watches the show. He repeated the feat later on Boardwalk Empire.

Regina King - Watchmen And The Leftovers

If anyone on this list needs no introduction, it's the great Regina King. She is a force of nature in everything she does, including two excellent HBO shows, The Leftovers and the one-and-done Season of Watchmen.

Michael Imperioli - The Sopranos And The White Lotus

Some people might remember Michael Imperioli as Spider in Goodfellas, but most will first know him as Christopher Moltisanti, Tony's frustrating nephew in The Sopranos. He returned to HBO in Season 2 of The White Lotus and once again reminded fans of the network how great he can be.

Unless your name is Taylor Sheridan and/or your project’s name is connected to that of Yellowstone, it’s hard out here for a Western. The 2024 TV schedule seems to have proven that yet again, as production on Sons of Anarchy creator Kurt Sutter’s latest series, The Abandons, has seen the mastermind exit.

As if that wasn’t bad enough news for Netflix’s new series boasting Game of Thrones vet Lena Headey in its cast, the timing doesn’t exactly bode well for the project. Per fresh reporting coming out of Deadline, Sutter departed The Abandons with just three weeks and one episode left before wrapping season 1.

In the absence of the series’ creator, executive producer/director Otto Bathurst and co-exec producer Rob Askins will oversee the remainder of production. Part of what’s left to go is a rather interesting reshoot request that may or may not have been the reason for Kurt Sutter’s departure.

For some, this turn of events may not be all that surprising, as Kurt Sutter's previous firing from Mayans M.C. saw him fired from his own prequel series due to "behavioral problems." But as cited in the report above, the problem that The Abandons is facing comes from a different source. The result is as disheartening as Kevin Costner’s uncertainty over Horizon: Part 3.

Apparently, creative differences came into play when it came to the length of the series premiere. Kurt Sutter was happy with an episode that was just shy of 2 hours, while Netflix execs allegedly wanted it to be split into a two-parter. That option apparently opened a can of worms when it came to how to make this particular request work, which ultimately required additional scenes to be written and shot to make it happen.

As The Abandons is now looking to tie up the loose threads of the two-part opener, as well as film the final episode on its schedule, it will now do so without Kurt Sutter as its steward. Based on what we know about The Abandons, the all-star western that co-stars The X-Files legend Gillian Anderson is as ambitious as Kevin Costner's current cinematic endeavor.

One could easily see that project being a sort of canary in the coal mine for Netflix execs who may have issued a greenlight in the wake of Yellowstone Mania. By time Horizon: An American Saga - Part I rebounded on streaming, confidence may have waned enough for executives to step in, and in turn potentially inspire the differences that prompted Kurt Sutter's departure.

Of course, this is all speculation, and we may never know what caused the rift between both parties in this matter. All we do know is that The Abandons is almost completed, with an unspecified target for its streaming debut. And to take part in whatever experience results, you'll need to have an active Netflix subscription to get in on the action.

Spoilers for Season 2, Episode 3 of House of the Dragon are ahead! If you aren’t caught up, you can stream it with a Max subscription. Then, make sure to catch new episodes as they air on the 2024 TV schedule every Sunday at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and Max.

When the dark gray robes and light gray head coverings come out on a Game of Thrones show, it’s hard not to be immediately and viscerally swept back to the infamous “Shame” scene. Hannah Waddingham wearing that outfit as Septa Unella as she walked a nude Cersei through the streets of King’s Landing is hard to forget. So, it made sense that she popped into the comments to hilariously point out that Emma D’Arcy wore the same septa outfit in Episode 3 of House of the Dragon Season 2.

For some context, in Episode 3 of House of the Dragon, Rhaenyra snuck back to King’s Landing to talk with Alicent. In an effort to prevent an all-out war, she took a risk going back, but she wore a septa uniform, which disguised her and made her almost unrecognizable because you couldn’t see her long silver Targaryen hair. HOTD’s Instagram posted about this massive moment by using a photo of Emma D’Arcy in the infamous costume, as you can see below:

Of course, seeing D’Arcy in this outfit took me right back to the days when Hannah Waddingham was in the Game of Thrones cast, and the Ted Lasso actress had a similar reaction, as she commented on the post:

I must say, she’s right. That is her outfit, which is unforgettable after you see the shocking Game of Thrones moments between her and Cersei. While the gruesome GOT deaths are truly terrible, I think this “shame” scene is one of the hardest moments to watch in the fantasy series. Plus, shooting Waddingham’s storyline was no walk in the park either.

The Emmy-winning actress has explained that she liked that her character looked like she’d “been dug up,” and she’s been open about how hard her Thrones scenes were to film. She even explained how being “actually waterboarded” during a scene on the show led to her having “chronic claustrophobia.”

Plus, while Hannah Waddingham is better known for Ted Lasso these days, her time on Game of Thrones does not go unforgotten. In fact, that “Shame” scene has led to wild fan interactions over the years.

So, I think Waddingham’s passionate and hilarious comment was warranted. However, I also loved how they used the costume in House of the Dragon, and it was cool to see it utilized in such a prominent way. Rhaenyra’s big move to approach Alicent was a massive deal, and I thought her sneaking into the church in the nun’s outfit was the perfect way to do it. Plus, it was a fantastic nod back to the show that started it all.

Overall, this interaction brought me so much joy. I love Hannah Waddingham so much, and it’s always fun to see her talking about her time on Game of Thrones. To see her as Septa Unella in Seasons 5 and 6 of GOT and to watch D’Arcy in House of the Dragon, you can stream both series on Max.

HBO's Game of Thrones ran for eight legendary seasons, airing 73 episodes in total. The sprawling epic included dozens of storylines and even more characters. According to IMDB, 843 different actors appeared on the show, including these 32 who appeared in the most episodes. 

There are some surprising characters that don't appear on this list, like Ramsey Bolton (Iwan Rheon), his father Roose Bolton (Michael McElhatton), Ollena Tyrell (Diane Rigg), and, of course, Ned Stark (Sean Bean), and Khal Drogo (Jason Momoa), who didn't live long enough to be on it. 

Warning: Spoiler alerts of course! 

Tyrion Lannister - 67 Episodes

Peter Dinklage's character, Tyrion Lannister, appears in more episodes than any other character on Game of Thrones. The cleverest member of the Lannister clan appeared in 67 of the 73 episodes. He's introduced in the very first episode and makes it all the way to the last one. 

Cersei Lannister - 62 Episodes

The villain we all loved to hate, Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey) appeared in an amazing 62 episodes. For a character that was in the middle of all the palace intrigue, who made as many enemies as Cersei did, it's a wonder she made it as far as she did. Like her siblings, Cersei was introduced in the first episode of the show, and made it to the 72nd episode, when she was killed when the Red Keep collapsed on her and her brother Jaime. 

Daenerys Targaryen - 62 Episodes

Daenerys Targaryen's character arc from the meek sister of a pretender king to a strong leader to a bloodthirsty tyrant is one of the most controversial arcs in TV history. It all began in the first episode of the series and ended in the controversial final episode. Emilia Clarke's character was in a total of 62 episodes over that time. 

Jon Snow - 62 Episodes

The broody Jon Snow (Kit Harington), has one of the craziest storylines of the series, taking him from Winterfell to The Wall, to the Red Keep, and everywhere in between. Audiences met Jon in the first episode, along with the rest of the Starks, and he makes it all the way to the end. It might not have ended for Jon the way some people wanted, but at least he's alive at the show's conclusion. 

Sansa Stark - 59 Episodes

Another character with an insane story arc is Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner). It unfolds over 59 episodes, starting with the first and ending with the last. She goes from a sweet summer child in the beginning, to one of the toughest and coldest leaders in The North by the end. Sansa has a brutal life over the course of the series, but it leads to somewhere great. 

Arya Stark - 59 Episodes

Viewers first met the second youngest Stark child, Arya (Maisie Williams), in the first episode when King Robert came to visit Winterfell. Through 59 episodes over all eight seasons, Arya turns into one of the best assassins in Westeros after her travels take her from her home up north, to King's Landing, to Braavos, and back again, finally ending up at Winterfell for one of the biggest moments of the series, when she takes out the Night King. 

Jaime Lannister - 55 Episodes

It's no surprise that Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) is on this list, with 55 episodes. Jaime and his sister Cersei first appeared in the premiere, making quite a mark for the things he would do for love. He also has one of the least satisfying story arcs, after ditching Lady Brienne to return to his toxic relationship with his sister. The Kingslayer almost finds redemption before giving it all up for misguided love. 

Jorah Mormont - 52 Episodes

Ser Jorah Mormont (Iain Glen), Daenerys' faithful guard makes it 52 episodes in Game of Thrones. He appears by his queen's side in the first episode and through eight seasons of ups and downs, including a long banishment from Daenerys' Queens Guard. In the end, Jorah gets the noble death he deserves in the second episode of Season 8, defending the Mother of Dragons in the Battle of Winterfell against the White Walkers.

Samwell Tarly - 48 Episodes

Jon Snow's most loyal companion is Samwell Tarly (John Bradley). Jon meets Sam at Castle Black in the fourth episode of Season 1 and they remain the best of friends until the end. After a journey that takes him all over Westeros, Sam makes it to the end of the final episode. 

Theon Greyjoy - 47 Episodes

Possibly no one had a rougher time in Game of Thrones than Theon Greyjoy (Alfie Allen). That's not to say he didn't deserve some of the unspeakable things that happened to him, as he was pretty awful from the time we met in the first episode until he finally redeems himself in Season 8. Like so many others, Theon falls at the Battle of Winterfell after defending Bran for as long as he can. Theon made it a total of 47 episodes. 

Varys - 46 Episodes

Lord Varys, the Spider, played by Conleth Hill, is always lurking in the shadows. For 46 episodes of Game of Thrones, he is mixing things up behind the scenes. Audiences first meet the Master of Whisperers when Ned Stark attends his first small council meeting in Episode 3 of Season 1. Varys is still helping make decisions for the realm in the final episode of the series. 

Davos Seaworth - 42 Episodes

Ser Davos Seaworth (Liam Cunningham), the pirate-turned-knight is a fan favorite who first appeared in Episode 1 of Season 2 as an advisor to Stannis Baratheon. Though he comes from humble beginnings, he rises all the way to Master of Ships under King Bran in the final episode of the show. 

Brienne Of Tarth - 42 Episodes

One of the most noble people in all of Westeros is Brienne of Tarth, played by Gwendoline Christie. We don't meet Brienne until Episode 3 of Season 2, but from there, she becomes a key character in a number of different stories. She has one of the most satisfying conclusions when she is named Commander of the King's Guard in the final episode. 

Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish - 41 Episodes

Aidan Gillen's character, Petyr Baelish, better known by his nickname, Littlefinger, plays a massive role in the battle for the throne throughout the series. As Master of Coin, viewers first meet Littlefinger in Episode 3 of Season 1. Though he puts himself in danger a number of times with his conniving actions, he makes it 42 episodes, before dying at the hands of Arya in the Season 7 finale.   

Bran Stark - 40 Episodes

Bran Stark (Isaac Hempstead Wright) plays one of the most pivotal roles throughout the run of Game of Thrones. In a way, he is responsible for everything that happens after he is thrown from the window by Jaime at the end of the very first episode, and in the end, it's Bran that becomes King at the end of the series, which surprised most fans of the show.

Sandor "The Hound" Clegane - 38 Episodes

Rory McCann's portrayal of Sandor "The Hound" Clegane is one of the best on the show. He's funny, tough, scary, and sometimes, even kind. It's a hard line to walk for an actor and McCann does it brilliantly for 38 episodes, from the first in the series until the second-to-last episode when he dies with his brother, The Mountain. 

Missandei - 38 Episodes 

Daenerys Targaryen's righthand woman, Missandei (Nathalie Emmanuel), is one of the most loyal people on the show, serving Dany as both an advisor and a good friend. Fans first meet Missandei in the first episode of Season 3 and watch her through 38 episodes, until she is killed on Cersei's order in Episode 4 of Season 8.

Bronn - 37 Episodes

Jerome Flynn's Bronn is the ultimate survivor. While he's a sellsword when we first meet him, when he fights as Tyrion's champion for his trial by combat at the Eyrie in Episode 4 of Season 1, he ends up a high lord and Master of Coin by the end of the series after appearing in 37 episodes, right down to the final one. 

Podrick Payne - 35 Episodes

Podrick Payne (Daniel Portman) is a ladies' man, which is one of the funniest recurring jokes on Game of Thrones. He's also a loyal squire to Brienne until he is promoted to the Kingsguard in the final episode. The popular Podrick appears in 35 episodes in total, from Episode 2 of Season 2, until the end. 

Grey Worm - 34 Episodes

Grey Worm (Jacob Anderson) is the former slave, freed by Dany, and becomes Dany's most loyal soldier. He appears in a total of 34 episodes, starting in Season 3 and making it to the final episode and living to see another day. 

Eddison Tollett - 34 Episodes

Viewers first meet Eddison Tollett (Ben Crompton) in Episode 1 of Season 2 as a member of the Night's Watch. Always faithful to Jon Snow, Edd is a key member of the watch, though not a major character in the show. Still, he appears in 34 episodes, until his death at the Battle of Winterfell in Season 8.

Tormund Giantsbane - 33 Episodes

Everyone's favorite Wildling warrior, Tormund, played by Kristofer Hivju, appears in 33 episodes. We meet him later in the series, in Episode 1 of Season 3, but luckily for everyone, he makes it to the end, traveling with Jon Snow north of what's left of The Wall to live with the other Wildlings. 

Grand Maester Pycelle - 31 Episodes

Grand Maester Pycelle, played by the great Julian Glover, is a weaseling character, loyal to the Lannisters. That is, until he is betrayed by Cersei and her defrocked Maester, Qyburn. Still, he appears in 31 episodes from Season 1 until his death in Season 6. 

Melisandre - 29 Episodes

As despicable as Melisandre (Carice van Houten) is, it's remarkable that she survives until Season 8. Appearing in a total of 29 episodes, the Red Woman's allegiances change a couple of times, though nothing will ever excuse what she did to Stannis' daughter. 

Tywin Lannister - 27 Episodes

Charles Dance's performance as Tywin Lannister is one of the best in all of Game Of Thrones. Over 27 episodes from Season 1 through his death in the privy in Season 8, Tywin is a villain everyone loves to hate. 

Gilly - 27 Episodes

Gilly (Hannah Murray) is one of the most sympathetic characters in the brutal world of Games of Thrones. The former Wildling daughter/wife of Craster escapes with Sam and her son and they survive together until the very end of show. Gilly appears in 27 episodes from Season 2 through the finale. 

Margaery Tyrell - 26 Episodes

Margaery Tyrell, played by Natalie Dormer, is a polarizing character in Game of Thrones. She has a knack for playing the game well and married not one, but two kings throughout her 26-episode run between Seasons 1 and 6, but ultimately she is outplayed by Cersei when she is killed in the Sept of Baelor explosion. 

Joffrey Baratheon - 26 episodes

There is no question that Joffrey Baratheon (Jack Gleeson) is one of the greatest villains on Game of Thrones and in TV history. Almost from the moment audiences met him in the first episode, we hated him. That hatred only grew over the next 26 episodes that he appears in, until finally, we all get what we wanted when he is poisoned at his own wedding. 

Catelyn Stark - 25 episodes

Maybe the most tragic character on Game of Thrones is Stark matriarch Catelyn Stark (Michelle Fairley). She sees her husband die, her daughter held hostage, and her son Robb die. It's all too much for her take by the end of her 25-episode arc when she dies at the Red Wedding, after being introduced in the fist episode. 

Barristan Selmy - 25 episodes

Barristan Selmy (Ian McElhinney) is another close advisor to Dany. Though not as close to her as Jorah, he's still an important member of her Queen's Guard after his banishment from Joffrey's Kings Guard. His run lasted for 25 episodes until he is killed helping Grey Worm against the Sons of the Harpy.

Gregor "The Mountain" Clagane - 24 Episodes

Sandor Cleagane's brother, Gregor "The Mountain" Cleagane, is a knight of few words. Eventually, after his poisoning in a trial by combat, he's a man of no words. He's still one of the most fearsome knights in the realm. Three different actors played The Mountain throughout the 24 episodes he appeared in, Conan Stevens (Season 1) Ian Whyte (Season 2), and Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson (Seasons 4-8).

Gendry Baratheon - 24 Episodes

Although we meet the illegitimate son of King Robert, Gendry (Joe Dempsie) in Season 1, his character arc takes him in and out of the series, and despite appearing in seven of the eight seasons, he only shows up in 24 episodes. 

There are a handful of characters that just missed the cut here, like Ramsey Bolton, Robb Stark, and Stannis Baratheon, and a whole lot more fan favorites that are way down the list because they appeared in far fewer shows than you'd guess. But these are the characters that appeared the most. 

It’s been four years since Game of Thrones ended, but the HBO fantasy drama lives on in the form of spinoff series House of the Dragon. Many fans didn’t like GOT’s final season, and the HBO series’ finale got some mixed reactions, including from CinemaBlend staff. Even some of the cast didn’t necessarily like how their stories ended, included Lena Headey. 

Headey portrayed Cersei Lannister on Game of Thrones and was in the main ensemble cast for the entire eight-season run. Cersei became the queen regnant of the Seven Kingdoms after all of her children died. She and twin brother Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) were killed during the Battle of King’s Landing, and Cersei was the last monarch to sit on the Iron Throne. 

Now, Lena Headey has opened up about what she really thought of Cersei’s ending, and she told The Hollywood Reporter about wanting more for her character:

That ending would have given out so much fan service and more. To see two fan-favorite characters battle it out one more time would have been entertaining. It’s a disappointment that it didn’t happen, but I guess that is what fan fiction is for. Headey coming up with her own ideas for Cersei's ending is a sign of how invested she was in the role. 

Ahead of the Game of Thrones finale in 2019, Lena Headey revealed she initially had mixed feelings about Cersei’s Season 8 storylines. The queen was one of the many characters who died during the Battle for King’s Landing, and it was even worse for her since she was mostly off to the side for the beginning of the season. Headey admitted she originally wanted a big action sequence for Cersei’s final sendoff, but also said it was the “perfect end” since Cersei and Jaime were killed off together. To her, it only made sense that they went out together as they came into the world together.

Headey likely isn't the only one who likes to imagine a different ending. Game of Thrones is one of many shows that fell off towards the end, partly because some characters didn’t get the ending they deserved. Even four years later, it’s hard to not think about what could have or should have happened. 

It's definitely too late for Cersei to get a different ending, but that's not the case for the characters on House of the Dragon. There is going to be a second season of the prequel series, which was able to film amidst the strikes. Fans will want to sign up for a Max subscription to rewatch Game of Thrones and check out its first spinoff. The ending may not be able to change for GOT, but you can always come up with one yourself.

Everyone waiting for 2025 Netflix movie and TV show releases knows that the streamer has a lot of potentially substantial irons in the creative fire, and we’re actually getting closer to yet another new release from the company, in the form of a drama series from Sons of Anarchy and Mayans M.C. creator Kurt Sutter, called The Abandons.

Word about the show for those with a Netflix subscription picked up in March 2023 when Game of Thrones cast member Lena Headey was announced as the lead, but if you still need to know more about the drama, we’ve got answers for plenty of your questions right here!

What Is The Abandons Release Date?

While Kurt Sutter had been working on his idea for the show for a while (which I’ll get into more later), things have really been picking up over the past year or so, but there’s currently no release date that’s been set. However, Sutter revealed on Instagram in mid-May 2024 that the series was filming, with Deadline reporting in early October that it was set to wrap by the end of the month, and could be set for an April 2025 launch. So, hopefully it won't be long before we hear more about it.

The Abandons Cast

The Abandons has a hugely stacked cast of recognizable actors who will help round out its cast…

Lena Headey

Though Lena Headey is largely known for her eight seasons as the power-hungry, conniving, will-do-anything-to-rule Cersei Lannister on the famed HBO hit Game of Thrones, Tudum revealed in March 2023 that she’s signed on to head up the cast of The Abandons. The actress will portray Fiona Nolan, a woman who, after not being able to give birth to children of her own, has adopted four orphans and then has to rely on “her faith and strong-willed Irish temper” to protect them in a “dangerous landscape.”

Just having Headey on board shows that the drama is in good hands. Headey was nominated for five Primetime Emmy Awards for her work on the fantasy series, and based on her past roles, she has a background in playing tough women who take no bullshit.

She’s also starred in the series Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, and movies like 300, Dredd, helped lead the Gunpowder Milkshake cast, as well as starring in The Purge, Fighting with My Family, and 9 Bullets. The talented actress has also voiced characters in shows like Masters of the Universe: Revelation, Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, along with voicing Lara in DC’s League of Super Pets cast.

Gillian Anderson

In late June 2023, Variety reported that famed X-Files, The Crown, and Sex Education star Gillian Anderson is also leading the series. She will portray one of the town's most prominent figures, Constance Van Ness, who inherited her husband's mining fortune and turned it into an even bigger nest egg. Though the area is no easy place for women, her "money, charm, and ruthlessness created a network of political allies," and she values "power, wealth, and lineage" over everything else.

We don't know for sure right now how much these two characters will come into contact, but I'm very eager to see any battle of wills that might ensue from such a pairing!

Lucas Till (Garret Van Ness)

Lucas Till was announced as a series regular by Deadline in early March 2024. The actor starred in the rebooted MacGyver series, and has also been in films like X-Men: First Class, Monster Trucks and Battle Los Angeles.

Nick Robinson (Elias Teller)

The same Deadline article also named Nick Robinson as another regular, where he will play the Sons of Anarchy-esque named Elias Teller. He has starred in films like Damsel, Jurassic World, Love, Simon and The Kings of Summer.

Diana Silvers (Dahlia Teller)

Deadline also brought news that Diana Silvers will star on The Abandons. She’s been seen in movies like Booksmart, Ma, Glass, and in the Netflix series, Space Force.

Lamar Johnson (Albert Mason)

Lamar Johnson has a starring role in the drama as well, and the Emmy-nominated actor has also appeared in HBO’s The Last of Us (which netted him the nomination in 2024) and Your Honor, with roles in movies such as X-Men: Dark Phoenix, All the Bright Places and The Hate U Give.

Aisling Franciosi (Trisha Van Ness)

Viewers will also see Aisling Franciosi as a regular on the show. The actress has been in other series like The Fall, Black Narcissus and Game of Thrones, and movies such as The Last Voyage of the Demeter and God’s Creatures.

Natalia del Riego (Lilla Belle)

Natalia del Riego is the last of the regulars with named characters so far, and those who tune in might recognize her from series like NCIS: Los Angeles, The Rookie, How to Get Away with Murder and the Quantum Leap reboot.

Recurring Cast Members

In addition to those names, there are a number of others who will help round out the cast, but are playing parts we don’t know anything about just yet. March 2024 also saw the news that Kurt Sutter will reunite with Mayans M.C. star Clayton Cardenas for the new series, where he will have a recurring part. Additional recurring cast members were announced by Deadline a few days later, and will see Patton Oswalt, Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers, Sarah Grace White, Michael Ornstein, Katelyn Wells, Marc Menchaca, Brían F. O’Byrne, Jonathan Koensgen, Haig Sutherland, and Jack Doolan appear.

Even more recurring cast additions were announced by Variety in April 2024, with Michael Greyeyes, Michiel Huisman, Ryan Hurst, and Toby Hemingway all signing on for The Abandons, as well.

It’s A Western About A Family ‘On The Fringes Of Society’ In 1850s Oregon

Fans who’ve followed along with Sutter’s series over the years will know that he loves to tell deep stories about people in desperate and dangerous situations, and this new show sounds like it will be no different. According to Tudum’s plot synopsis, The Abandons is a “pulse-pounding Western” that focuses on “diverse families pursuing their Manifest Destiny in 1850s Oregon,” and:

OK. So, I’m already expecting a brutally high body count and several characters with a suspect sense of morality, aren’t you? Having all of this play out in the old West will likely be something that sets it apart from other dramas where beloved characters scheme and/or simply try to survive tough situations, and it could draw in fans of shows like Yellowstone (and its many spinoffs), Yellowjackets, and its streaming mate, Vikings: Valhalla.

The First Season Will Have 8 Episodes

While it was in the fall of 2022 that the Western was announced to have a decently-sized 10 episode series order, there have been some changes behind the scenes (which we'll get into later) that have led that to be cut down to eight episodes, according to the Deadline report above. This should, however, still give the team a good amount of time to introduce all the players, their conflicts/moral quandaries, and give fans a rip-roaring first season to remember.

What Is The Abandons Rated?

Seeing as how this series isn't ready for our eyes just yet, it could be some time before a final verdict comes down on the rating for the show. But, who are we kidding? Considering the plot details we already know and the previous shows that were created by Sutter, I think it’s a safe bet to count on a TV-MA rating for things like violence and strong language.

Sons Of Anarchy’s Kurt Sutter Departed As Showrunner And Executive Producer

Kurt Sutter had been the showrunner for his new series, along with acting as executive producer, but Deadline noted in early October 2024 that he left his duties on the drama behind after clashing over the creative direction for The Abandons with execs at Netflix.

Apparently, the streamer wanted the pilot episode to come in at one hour, as opposed to the one-hour and 40 minute run time they screened. When that edit was deemed impossible, the decision was made to split the episode in two. However, the new cut of what is now the first two episodes is said to have been seen as "disjointed" by Netflix brass, leading to the change in showrunner just about three weeks before the first season was done shooting.

Right now, there is no new showrunner named, but co-exec producer Rob Askins and executive producer/director Otto Bathurst were jointly in charge of the remainder of the production, including any planned reshoots.

The Series Was Inspired By Classic TV Western Bonanza And The Origin Of The Mafia

Wondering where Sutter got the idea for The Abandons? He told Deadline back in November 2021 that he’d "always wanted to do a western," but his attempts to acquire the rights to an established property toward the beginning of the pandemic stalled, so he turned to creating a fully original story. Soon, he was able to merge two seemingly disparate influences, by looking at the formation of the mafia and the classic TV Western, Bonanza. As he said:

I don’t know what you’re thinking, but to me it sounds like The Abandons has a great start at being lots of people’s new favorite television series whenever it finally hits Netflix!

When it comes to animated films, it’s never a big surprise that a ton of stars tend to join those casts, and now, DC’s League of Super Pets has added to that with their list of stars, from action heroes such as Dwayne Johnson to comedians like Kevin Hart. But with so many characters and so many amazing cast members, you might be wondering where you’ve seen - or heard - them before. 

If you’re like me and trying to see exactly where these famous faces were from, check out where you might have seen the DC’s League of Super Pets voice cast before. 

Dwayne Johnson (Krypto The Super-Dog) 

Starting off with the main hero in DC’s League of Super Pets, we have Krypto, a character I’m pretty familiar with from the Krypto the Super-Dog TV show from a long time ago - but now, he’s in a movie and is voiced by the fabulous Dwayne Johnson. If you don’t know that name, surely you have been living under a rock (pun intended). While he started off his career in the WWE, Johnson continues to prove how talented he is as a movie star. 

He played Maui in Moana, and has appeared in films such as the comedy, The Game Plan, the Jumanji series, Central Intelligence, Rampage, the Fast and Furious series, Skyscraper, Jungle Cruise, and more. He also had a pretty big year in 2021 with the release of Red Notice on Netflix.

Johnson has also had some experience with television as well, producing (and appearing) in the NBC series, Young Rock, as well leading the series, Ballers. 

Kevin Hart (Ace The Hound)

Next up on this list, we have everyone’s favorite hilarious comedian, Kevin Hart, who plays Ace in DC’s League of Super Pets. Hart has been in many movies and produced some hilarious comedy specials, so I wouldn’t be surprised if you’ve seen him before. 

Some of his biggest roles thus far have included Night School, Think Like A Man, Ride Along, The Man From Toronto, About Last Night, and the drama, Fatherhood, alongside many others. This is also the fourth time that Hart and Johnson have collaborated together on a film, with the first being Central Intelligence, and the next two being the Jumanji series. Since these two are always ripping on each other, it’ll be fun to watch the press tour for DC’s League of Super Pets. 

Kate McKinnon (Lulu The Guinea Pig)

Moving on, we now have Kate McKinnon, who voices Lulu the Guinea Pig in DC’s League of Super Pets. If that name sounds familiar to you, it’s because McKinnon was a huge star on NBC’s Saturday Night Live before she left in 2022, but besides her big role on the sketch series, this actress has done plenty. 

Some of her biggest roles this far was being a part of the Bombshell cast, starring in 2016’s Ghostbusters, and the films The Spy Who Dumped Me and Yesteryear, among others. She also had a starring role in the Peacock original series, Joe vs. Carole, playing Carole Baskin. 

John Krasinski (Superman)

Next up on this list we have John Krasinski, who voiced Superman in DC’s League of Super Pets. As someone who has followed Krasinski for a long time, I can’t think of anyone better to voice the superhero in this film. One of his most famous roles was portraying Jim Halpert as part of The Office cast, and becoming the second half to one of the cutest relationships on television, but Krasinski has done plenty of other fun roles. 

Krasinski directed both A Quiet Place movies, while starring in the first one, and has appeared in other films such as Away We Go, It’s Complicated, Big Miracle, and more, and had voice roles in the Pixar film Monsters University, as well as the Hayao Miyazaki film, The Wind Rises. 

The actor has also dived back into television, starring as Jack Ryan in the titular series on Amazon Prime, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan. In 2022, he appeared as Reed Richards in Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. 

Vanessa Bayer (PB The Potbelly Pig)

Moving on, we take a look at Vanessa Bayer, who voiced PB the Potbelly Pig in DC’s League of Super Pets. Bayer is another Saturday Night Live alumni and is funny as all heck, but she has also been in plenty of other movies and TV shows as well. 

Some of her biggest movies have been Trainwreck, Office Christmas Party, Ibiza, Barb and Star Go To Vista del Mar, and more. She also has the lead role in the Showtime comedy, I Love That For You, and has guest starred on many other TV shows as well. 

Natasha Lyonne (Merton The Turtle)

Natasha Lyonne voices Merton the Turtle in DC’s League of Super Pets, and has had quite the career in both movies and TV. For the last couple of years, she’s starred in Russian Doll on Netflix, but prior to that, she was a big part of the Orange is the New Black cast, where she played Nicky. However, Lyonne has done much more in the film and television industry than just her roles on TV. 

Some of her biggest roles have been in the American Pie cast, Ad Astra, The United States vs. Billie Holiday, Scary Movie 2, But I’m A Cheerleader, Sleeping With Other People, and many others. 

Diego Luna (Chip The Squirrel)

Moving on, we now take a look at Diego Luna, who voices Chip the Squirrel in DC’s League of Super Pets. Luna has been an even bigger star in Hollywood lately, mainly thanks to his huge role in the popular Star Wars film, Rouge One: A Star Wars Story, where he played Cassian Andor - a role he is set to reprise in the upcoming Disney+ series, Andor, following the character before the film. 

However, Luna has done plenty of other projects you might recognize. He had a big role on the Netflix series, Narcos: Mexico, where he played Miguel Angel Felix Gallardo. He also has appeared in a variety of movie roles, including several Spanish films, Berlin, I Love You, A Rainy Day In New York, Wander Darkly, If Beale Street Could Talk, and more. 

Marc Maron (Lex Luthor)

Marc Maron voices the legendary villain, Lex Luthor, in DC’s League of Super Pets, and he has done plenty in the movie and TV business. Maron is mainly known for his comedy, and has had several guest appearances on late night talk shows, such as the Late Show with David Letterman and Late Night with Conan O’Brien, but he’s done plenty on his own. He hosted his own talk show, The Marc Maron Show, and co-hosted both Morning Sedition and Breakroom Live. 

Maron has also acted plenty before, doing movies such as Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates, Stardust, Joker, Respect, and more. He’s also appeared in many TV shows, including having his own series, Maron, and appearing in shows such as Easy, The Simpsons, and Roadies among others. He also had a co-starring role in the cancelled-too-soon Netflix series, GLOW. 

Keanu Reeves (Batman)

I don’t think I could have pictured a better casting for the role of Batman in DC’s League of Super Pets than Keanu Reeves himself, and it’s so cool to see him voicing this awesome role. Reeves has been in Hollywood for decades, and is one our our most enduring action stars. 

Reeves’ biggest roles have definitely been the Bill & Ted film series, his starring part in The Matrix Series, as well as his titular role in the John Wick movie saga, which is getting a fourth movie in 2023. However, Reeves has plenty of other major films, such as Constantine, The Day The Earth Stood Still, Street Kings, The Lake House, Already Gone, and more. He even had a voice role in Pixar’s Toy Story 4 as Duke Caboom.

Thomas Middleditch (Keith a.k.a. Ice Guinea Pig) 

Moving on, we now take a look at Thomas Middleditch, who voices Keith, known as the Ice Guinea Pig in DC’s League of Super Pets. Middleditch is primarily known for his role on the hit HBO series, Silicon Valley, but has done plenty of other roles that you might recognize him from. 

He has done voice roles in shows such as Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero, and the Hulu original series, Solar Opposites, and had a main role in the TV series, B Positive. He also had a voice role in the movie Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie, and has done live-action roles in movies such as Someone Marry Barry, The Bronze, Once Upon A Time in Venice, Tag, Zombieland: Double Tap, and more. 

Ben Schwartz  (Mark a.k.a. Fire Guinea Pig) 

Next up, we have Ben Schwartz, who voices Mark, known as the Fire Guinea Pig in DC’s League of Super Pets. Schwartz was primarily known for his role in the Parks and Recreation cast, but has since gone on to do plenty of other fun parts. 

Some of his biggest film roles have included voicing the titular character in the Sonic the Hedgehog movies, and appearing in Peep World, This Is Where I Leave You, Flora & Ulysses, Falling Down, The Walk, and more. Schwartz has also had a prominent TV career besides Parks and Recreation, having roles in TV shows like Netflix’s Space Force, the comedy series The Afterparty on Apple TV+, House of Lies, Ducktales, Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and many more. 

Additional Voices

Lastly, there are plenty of other additional voices in DC’s League of Super Pets that we should take the time to mention. 

These include Olivia Wilde as Lois Lane, Yvette Nicole Brown as Patty, Jameela Jamil as Wonder Woman, Jemaine Clement as Aquaman, Daveed Diggs as Cyborg, Alfred Molina as Jor-El, Lena Headey as Lara, Keith David as Dog-El, Busy Philipps as Foofy Dog, Maya Erskine as Mercy Graves, and Dan Folger in the additional roles of Carl, Pilot, and Radio. 

Goodness, with so many names on here, you might think we were going to an awards show of some kind, but this is just the talent that DC’s League of Super Pets has, and it’ll be a super time wondering where these actors go next after suiting up in their fluffy suits.  

While Lena Headey is arguably best known for playing Cersei Lannister across the entirety of Game of Thrones, the actress also has geek/franchise cred from projects like 300, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance and Masters of the Universe: Revelation. Well, it turns out that she was also supposed to make her Marvel Cinematic Universe debut in Thor: Love and Thunder. While that didn’t end up happening, Headey is now caught up in a new lawsuit that involves the upcoming Marvel movie.

Lena Headey is being sued for close to $1.5 million by her former U.K. agency Troika over unpaid commission fees tied to various projects, including Thor: Love and Thunder. As reported by Variety, Troika, which has been known as YMU since 2020, claims that Headey owes the agency around $500,000, i.e. around 7% of her fee, for what she earned on Love and Thunder. The agency also alleges that Headey owes it $300,000 for the upcoming movie 9 Bullets that she starred in with Sam Worthington, and $650,000 for a Showtime series that was in development called Rita that never progressed past the pilot.

As far as Thor: Love and Thunder goes, it’s been confirmed that Lena Headey does not appear in the theatrical cut, although no details about her character have been revealed to the public. Nevertheless, Troika/YMU is seeking an account of commission fees owed, an order for Headey to pay the fees, damages for breach of contract, interest and reimbursement of legal fees for the projects mentioned. Headey joined Troika in 2005 and left in March 2020, a few months after Michael Duff, one of Troika’s co-founders and Headey’s agent, departed the agency.

For her part, Lena Headey claims that she never signed any contracts with Troika nor Michael Duff, and that her arrangements with both parties was through an oral agreement she made with Duff in the late ‘90s when he was at Lou Carl Associates. Headey’s filings also state that she was never exclusively with Troika, as she’s represented by CAA in the United States. The actress also disputes that Troika has any claim to commissions for Thor: Love and Thunder (which director/co-writer Taika Waititi apparently approached her directly for) and 9 Bullets, while as far as Rita is concerned, she only received $325,00 for the pilot, and Troika/YMU in turn was paid $22,750.

We’ll just have to wait and see how this legal saga turns out for Lena Headey, though as far as Thor: Love and Thunder goes, this is a lot of trouble to come the actress’ way for a movie where her scenes ended being cut. But editing is an integral aspect of the filmmaking process, and it’s inevitable that certain moments shot will end up on the cutting room floor. What we can count on seeing in the final product is Chris Hemsworth’s Thor Odinson teaming up with folks like Natalie Portman’s Jame Foster (who’s now The Mighty Thor), Tessa Thompson’s Valkyrie and Taika Waititi’s Korg to battle Christian Bale’s Gorr the God Butcher. Love and Thunder also marks the MCU’s introduction of Marvel’s Olympian mythology, with Russell Crowe appearing as Zeus.

Thor: Love and Thunder opens to the public on July 8, and fingers cross that whenever the movie arrives on home media and to Disney+ subscribers, Lena Headey’s deleted material is included among the extras. Along with 9 Bullets’ forthcoming release, Headey is also starring in the HBO miniseries The White House Plumbers as Dorothy Hunt.

Between Karen Gillan’s role as Nebula in numerous Marvel films, playing Ruby in the action-filled Jumanji films or in recent Netflix films like Gunpowder Milkshake and The Bubble, the Scottish actress is not only a big star, but a big action star. So, while I wasn't really surprised by a viral video of her casually texting while being uncomfortably lifted in a harness, it’s still very funny to watch her handle the moment like a champ. Some other celebrities, including her Guardians of the Galaxy co-star Dave Bautista, apparently thought so too. 

Guardian of the Galaxy’s Karen Gillan shared on Instagram a short video of herself casually going higher and higher off the ground on the set of The Bubble in a scene of full green screen. Check it out:  

It looks like she’s so unbothered by the pulling around her crotch area likely taking place during the video. Karen Gillan captioned the video: “A person who has spent a decent chunk of their career on wires,” which is obvious by the visuals here. The actress looks at her phone briefly before finding herself in the right place on the rock formation and casually putting it in her pocket, probably just moments before director Judd Apatow yelled “Action!” 

Karen Gillan may just be chilling in one of the most notably uncomfortable ways actors have to work these days, and a ton of celebrities noticed and reacted to Karen Gillan’s social media post. For example, the actress’ Guardians of the Galaxy co-star Dave Bautista said this: 

The actors have worked together on many films, including the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, which Gillan shared she wrapped filming on this week. He, too, should be used to action but honestly sounds impressed by Gillan being so unbothered on set. The Walking Dead’s Tom Payne also said this: 

Sounds like the actor was trying to get some tips for Karen Gillan to try to flex like her. Maybe she has found a way to make them more comfy, or maybe she’s just so used to the pain she doesn’t even notice it anymore. Yikes! As Gillan said, wire work has been a massive part of her career. 

The Bubble, which was shot early last year, follows a group of actors who are in a pandemic bubble while filming the sixth installment of a successful franchise called Cliff Beasts. Among The Bubble cast is Euphoria star and daughter of the director, Iris Apatow. She can be seen in the video and also commented: 

Iris Apatow can be seen in orange looking at Karen Gillan as she is lifted into the right spot. While Gillan is texting away, Apatow looks entertained by her and laughs a bit (perhaps through the harness pain). Lastly, Game of Thrones’ Lena Headey has a one-word response to the set moment, noting:  

Following the release of The Bubble, we can look forward to Karen Gillan’s Nebula in a few upcoming Marvel movies like Thor: Love and Thunder, The Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and the holiday special. There was surely even more wire work in those movies. Until then, hang in there! 

Of all the Netflix movies to come out in the summer of 2021, few, if any, feature a group of actors more talented and well-known than the Gunpowder Milkshake cast. Navot Papushado’s action thriller about an assassin reconnecting with her estranged mother while also protecting a young girl has everyone from Karen Gillan to Lena Headey and Michelle Yeoh to Angela Bassett, and then some. But after watching the action-packed thrill-ride with more twists and turns than some can handle, you are probably wondering where you’ve seen the members of the cast before.

Well, if you are a fan of shows like Game of Thrones and Doctor Who or movies from the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the James Bond franchise then you’ll surely recognize some, if not all, of the impressive Gunpowder Milkshake cast. In case you forgot, or maybe you’ve never seen any of those movies or shows, we’ve put together a quick yet comprehensive rundown of the cast and where they’ve been.

Karen Gillan (Sam)

Leading off the Gunpowder Milkshake cast is Karen Gillan who portrays the master assassin known as Sam. Before she was carrying out jobs for The Firm, trying to save a young girl, and attempting to reconnect with her estranged mother, Gillan made a name for herself on the iconic British sci-fi series Doctor Who where she portrayed the Time Lord’s companion Amy Pond. It wasn’t long after Gillan’s star-making performance that she ended up portraying the conflicted Nebula in Guardians of the Galaxy, a role she has portrayed multiple times since and will continue to bring to life in a number of upcoming Marvel movies.

Outside of the Marvel and Doctor Who universes, Karen Gillan has also cemented her legacy in pop culture with starring roles in Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and its sequel Jumanji: The Next Level, with hopefully more of that franchise on the way.

Lena Headey (Scarlet)

To some (okay, most of us), Lena Headey will forever be remembered as the conniving, vindictive, and power-hungry Cersei Lannister on Game of Thrones, even a few years after the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms met a brutal death in the destruction of Kings Landing. The actress, who plays Scarlet, Sam’s estranged mother and the leader of a sisterhood of assassins in Gunpowder Milkshake, has a lot more to her name than eight seasons of the HBO fantasy series.

Leaving Westeros behind, Lena Headey has played pivotal roles in everything from Zack Snyder’s eye-catching adaptation of the Frank Miller graphic novel 300, the 2005 action-horror film The Cave, The Purge, and Fighting with My Family. And prior to landing one of the most memorable roles on Game of Thrones, Headey had a starring role on Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles where she played the titular heroine.

Chloe Coleman (Emily)

The youngest member of the Gunpowder Milkshake cast, Chloe Coleman, takes on the role of Emily, the young girl under Sam’s protection after the latter kills the former’s father. Despite her young age, Coleman has already built up an impressive filmography in film and television. Over the course of the past few years, Coleman has had notable roles on shows like Big Little Lies, Upload, and Kinderwood.

One of her biggest movies to date — 2020’s My Spy — saw her team up with Karen Gillan’s Guardians of the Galaxy (and Stuber) co-star Dave Bautista in the latest version of the “big man paired with little kid” action movie trope. It doesn’t look like Coleman is slowing down anytime soon as she will soon appear in Avatar 2 and Dungeons and Dragons.

Michelle Yeoh (Florence)

Florence, one of the members of the lethal sisterhood of assassins in Gunpowder Milkshake is portrayed by the incomparable Michelle Yeoh, who has been a fixture of international cinema for years at this point, turning out memorable role after memorable role in a number of different genres. Depending on when you were born, you will either recognize Yeoh from movies like Tomorrow Never Dies, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Memoirs of a Geisha, or Crazy Rich Asians, to name only a few films credited to the talented actress.

A Fixture of the Star Trek universe since joining the cast of Star Trek: Discovery in 2017, Michelle Yeoh’s television credits are impressive, and it doesn’t look like she’s slowing down anytime soon. With a list of upcoming shows that includes an untitled Star Trek series, Ark: The Animated Series, and The Witcher: Blood Origin, expect to see Yeoh on the small screen a lot in the near future. And then there’s her upcoming movies like Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Minions: The Rise of Gru, Avatar 2.

Angela Bassett (Anna May)

Angela Bassett, another member of the Gunpowder Milkshake cast who has a history in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, portrays the assassin known as Anna May in the Netflix action thriller. One of the most talented actresses who surprisingly doesn’t have an Academy Award to their name (this really needs to change), Bassett has received recognition performances in movies like Black Panther, How Stella Got Her Groove Back, What’s Love Got to Do with It (which earned her a Golden Globe), Malcolm X, and Mission: Impossible — Fallout.

Expect to see Angela Bassett reprise her role of Ramonda in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which is near the top of the list of most anticipated 2022 movies. Bassett was also originally slated to return as CIA Director Erika Sloane in Mission: Impossible 7 but she was forced to drop out of the movie due to schedule conflicts brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Carla Gugino (Madeleine)

Taking on the role Madeleine, the third member of the sisterhood of assassins (the one with an affinity for Agatha Christie novels and large weapons), is Carla Gugino, whose contributions to the world of cinema goes beyond being impressive. Over the years, Gugino has showed up in family comedies like Night at the Museum and the Spy Kids franchise while also popping up in multiple Zack Snyder films including Watchmen, Sucker Punch, Man of Steel, Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, and Zack Snyder’s Justice League.

Carla Gugino’s list of television credits is equally as impressive with small roles on classic shows like Who’s the Boss?, The Wonder Years, and Quantum Leap before landing larger spots on the likes of Spin City, Chicago Hope, and Entourage. More recently, Gugino has lent her talents to Netflix’s The Haunting of Hill House and The Haunting of Bly Manor, as well as Manhunt: Deadly Games.

Paul Giamatti (Nathan)

Taking on the role of Nathan, the head of The Firm’s HR department and father-like figure of Sam, is two-time Golden Globe winner Paul Giamatti. Over the years, the son of the former MLB Commissioner A. Bartlett Giamatti (who wrote what is possibly the most beautiful essay about baseball) has turned into one of the most talented actors of his time, turning out one amazing performance after another. Whether it’s lead roles on TV shows like the HBO limited series John Adams (his first Golden Globe) or Showtime’s Billions or one-off appearances on Downtown Abbey or 30 Rock, Giamatti’s done a little bit of everything.

And then there’s Paul Giamatti’s film contributions. With Barney’s Vision (his second Golden Globe), an Academy Award-nominated performance in Cinderella Man, or Alexander Payne’s Sideways, it isn’t all that difficult to make a case for Giamatti being at the upper echelon of living actors.

Ralph Ineson (Jim McAlester)

Ralph Ineson shows up in Gunpowder Milkshake as Jim McAlester, the leader of the crime organization who makes it his mission to take out Sam, Emily, and anyone else in his way. Before playing an over-the-top villain in the Netflix action flick, Ineson appeared in two of the biggest fantasy franchises of the 21st Century: the Harry Potter films (Amycus Carrow) and Game of Thrones (Dagmer Cleftjaw). Ineson also portrayed William in The Witch.

Outside of fantasy and supernatural films and series, Ralph Ineson has also lent his talents to various comedy programs over the years, most notably the original British version of The Office, in which he appeared as Chris Finch. Over the years, he’s also popped up on The IT Crowd and Drunk History. Oh, and let’s not forget his brief role in Chernobyl or Guardians of the Galaxy.

Adam Nagaitis (Virgil)

Taking on he role of Virgil, one of the master assassins sent to kill Sam in Gunpowder Milkshake, is Adam Nagaitis. Prior to landing a spot the Netflix action thriller, Nagaitis showed up in movies like Suffragette, The Man with the Iron Heart, and The Commuter. Over on the television side of things, Nagaitis has been a part of shows like The Terror, Chernobyl, and A Christmas Carol in addition to smaller roles on programs like Law and Order: UK, Outlaws, and The Courtroom.

Michael Smiley (Dr. Ricky)

And then there is Michael Smiley, who portrays Dr. Ricky, the chief of the secretive assassins clinic in Gunpowder Milkshake. With roles in movies like The World’s End, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, The Lobster, and The Nun to his name, chances are you’ve seen Smiley at least once over the past couple of decades. His television credits are just as impressive with everything from Doctor Who to Luther and Black Mirror to Wire in the Blood making him a recognizable face.

This is just the main portion of the Gunpowder Milkshake, as The Witcher’s Freya Allan appears as a young Sam, Doctor Who’s Samuel Anderson shows up as Emily’s dad, and not to mention all the random assassins that show up throughout the movie.

Karen Gillan’s next action movie is here! She stars in Gunpowder Milkshake as Sam, who has followed in her mother’s footsteps and grown into a fierce hit-woman. When a high-risk job goes wrong, Sam must choose between serving The Firm, the ruthless crime syndicate she works for, and protecting the life of an innocent 8-year-old girl, Emily (Chloe Coleman). With a target on her back, Sam has only one chance to survive: Reunite with her mother (played by Lena Headey) and her lethal associates, The Librarians (played by Michelle Yeoh, Angela Bassett, and Carla Gugino). These three generations of women must now learn to trust each other, stand up to The Firm and their army of henchmen, and raise hell against those who could take everything from them.

Gunpowder Milkshake was directed by Navot Papushado and will be released on Netflix tomorrow, July 14. Critics have started sharing their reviews of the action film, so let’s take a look.

Our very own Eric Eisenberg was not super impressed with the movie, rating it 2 out of 5 stars. He thought there was a lack of any kind of substance in the film, and that it relied too heavily on style. Eisenberg also argued that though the action flick does allow Gillan to demonstrate some serious ass-kicking skills, which is enjoyable to watch, it doesn’t provide any emotional investment or inspired characterization for her or the other characters with its lazy writing. Overall, he noted:

Kate Erbland of IndieWire had a few more positive things to say about Gunpowder Milkshake than Eisenberg. She enjoyed its “winking” sense of humor as it put a spin on other action franchises, like John Wick. Though she admitted that the plot left something to be desired and was a little confusing at times, Erbland thought the action movie was fun overall, saying:

John Defore of The Hollywood Reporter was relatively disappointed with the movie. He thought it tried too hard to mimic other action franchises like John Wick and Kill Bill, and argued that the writing wasn't at all compelling, and under-serves a lot of characters. Though he enjoyed some action pieces, he noted that most fight scenes ended up looking lifeless. He said:

Caroline Siede froom AV Club had a somewhat middling opinion of Gunpowder Milkshake. While she applauded Gillan’s performance and the impressive female ensemble, she also noted some criticisms. She thought the film was frustratingly inconsistent with its logic and tone, while also getting too bogged down in thematic elements that disrupt the pace of the plot. But Siede enjoyed some aspects of the film, calling it “fun” overall, and said:

Amelia Emberwing of What To Watch also pointed out the similarities between Gunpowder Milkshake and John Wick, but argued that the Gillan-led action flick still stands out with its own originality. While she noted that the first part of the film is a little too exposition-heavy and drags the pace along, she enjoyed it overall. She commended the performances of the ensemble, the stylized and bright filmmaking, and the action pieces, summarizing the movie by saying:

Well, that was a pretty mixed bag of reviews. Some critics really didn't like Gunpowder Milkshake, and some enjoyed it well enough. You'll be able to see for yourself when the movie releases on Netflix tomorrow, July 14.

In the meantime, check out what else is ahead for Karen Gillan.

Game of Thrones had more than a few memorable torture scenes during its run. The disgraced Theon Greyjoy got the brunt of it, but there were many residents of Westeros that found themselves strapped to tables during the course of the show’s eight seasons. If the scenes are hard to watch, they’re even harder to film. Lena Headey, a.k.a Cersei Lannister, revealed one particular GOT scene that turned even her stomach.

While doing a press tour for her upcoming action, Lena Headey admitted that a certain scene from the sixth season finale “The Winds of Winter” was tough to film - but not for her. According to Insider, Septa Unella actress Hannah Waddingham was subjected to a long shoot in which Cersei Lannister waterboarded her with red wine. Lena Headey said of the experience:

The scene in question consisted of Cersei Lannister tying Septa Unella to a table and waterboarding her for an indeterminate length of time before leaving the poor woman alone with The Mountain, Ser Gregor Clegane. Septa Unella’s torture scene only lasted for a couple minutes, but Hannah Waddingham was reportedly strapped down for the entire duration of the 10-hour film shoot. Actors often go above and beyond for their craft, but poor Hannah Waddingham deserves a medal. Lena Headey seems to agree.

Prune juice? At least drinking wine all day would have made the shoot a little more bearable. Lena Headey admitted that, while the shoot was taxing, it was only done for the authenticity of the scene. She took pity on her co-star and started pouring the prune juice away from Hannah Waddingham’s face as the shoot went on. Lena Headey probably put in her fair share of arduous shoots as Cersei, so it makes sense that she would sympathize. Hannah Waddingham has also spoken about the scene before, saying that she spoke to a mental health professional afterwards. It just goes to show how dedicated some actors can be when it comes to their craft.

While Cersei Lannister and Septa Unella didn’t make it to the end of Game of Thrones, their actresses are doing just fine. Lena Headey will be starring in the Netflix action film Gunpowder Milkshake alongside Karen Gillan, while Hannah Waddingham can currently be seen on the Apple TV+ comedy Ted Lasso with Jason Sudeikis.

To many, Karen Gillan may be known as Marvel’s Nebula of the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, but the actress is definitely raking in a number of other fantastic roles in other high-profile productions like the Jumanji franchise. One that’s already looking particularly exciting is her upcoming lead role in the action-thriller Gunpowder Milkshake. The film puts Gillan in the role of a cold-blooded assassin, who finds herself in a heap of trouble. And so far, the result looks like it could be an intense ride for viewers. The first trailer teased plenty of action, but this latest only ups the action, kicking things off at a library and a seemingly ordinary yellow bag.

The new trailer for Gunpowder Milkshake kicks off with Karen Gillan’s Sam making a trip to a library, which is also an assassin’s guild. The footage also sheds more light on the situation facing Karen Gillan’s Sam. A notorious hitwomen, she’s placed in a tough situation, when a job spirals out of control and she chooses to protect an innocent 8-year-old girl who’s caught in the middle of a gang war. But going rogue has its consequences, as Sam must fight her way through those seeking to end her.

The new footage shows off more of the over-the-top action sequences, and they’re pretty impressive. Karen Gillan seems to be giving it her all, making it known that her Sam is a force to be reckoned with. The aesthetic is also a sight to behold, as the bright colors and smooth cinematography help to enhance the hyperrealism of the universe.

What’s even more exciting about the film is that it puts Karen Gillan alongside a number of other iconic action stars via the assassin sisterhood. These include Angela Bassett’s Anna May, Carla Gugino’s Mathilde and Michelle Yeoh’s Florence. And to top it all off the movie will also see Game of Thrones alum Lena Heady as Scarlet -- a legendary assassin and Sam’s mother.

The chemistry between Karen Gillan and Lena Heady (like the chemistry between Gillan and young Chloe Coleman) will be key for the movie. So far, though, it looks like the two make for a solid mother-daughter pairing.

With any luck, Gunpowder Milkshake could be the start of another great action franchise. The past few years have given us hits like the John Wick franchise and this year’s action thriller Nobody. It’ll be interesting to see how the movie tackles its action compared to those productions.

Based on the trailers we’ve seen, Sam could prove to be far more deadly than the previous roles Karen Gillan has portrayed. Of course, let’s also hope the character gets the appropriate amount of layers as well.

You can see Karen Gillan team up with an assortment of other female badasses when Gunpowder Milkshake hits Netflix on July 14, 2021.

What if I told you there was a movie where Guardians of the Galaxy’s Karen Gillan and Game of Thrones’ Lena Headey starred as a mother/daughter team that turned out to be badass assassins? If you’re already familiar with Gunpowder Milkshake’s logline, you wouldn’t bat an eye, but there might be some of you surprised that such a project exists. Well if you’re that taken aback by this mere summary, then you’re going to love the trailer that was recently released.

So think of Gunpowder Milkshake, at its bare bones, as a mashup between the lethal underworld of the John Wick series and the bright colored mayhem of Birds of Prey: Harley Quinn.Sam (Karen Gillan) is sent out on a job by her boss Nathan (Paul Giamatti) to hunt down someone who’s stolen from the cryptic organization they’re both a part of. But after a young girl is discovered to be in the mix (Chloe Coleman) Sam becomes her sworn protector, killing a bunch of “the wrong people” in the process.

Faster than you can say “excommunicado,” a price is on their heads, and Sam turns to the one person she trusts: her long absent mother, Scarlett (Lena Headey.) Which also leads to reuniting with some fellow sisters in arms, played by Michelle Yeoh, Carla Gugino, and Angela Bassett. Throw in some dazzling colors, and action choreography that has a smile in its heart and blood on its hands, and you’ve got the recipe for what makes Gunpowder Milkshake so damned irresistible to behold.

Merely the cast behind Gunpowder Milkshake is a draw for audiences familiar with any of those names to park themselves in front of it. This is especially true with Paul Giamatti playing another villain that’s similar to the over the top baddie he played in Shoot ‘Em Up, only minus the witty repartee or the sinister jokes. And the cherry on top of this particular milkshake happens to be the trio of “librarians” that arm Karen Gillan and Lena Headey in their quest to do the right thing.

Seeing Michelle Yeoh, Carla Gugino, and Angela Bassett all getting their own moments to shine hints at how Gunpowder Milkshake director and co-writer Navot Papushado has pulled out all the stops with the action. Everything looks as good as it feels, and this trailer feels exhilarating to behold. If you were hoping the summer would include an action movie as blazingly beautiful as Gunpowder Milkshake, it looks like it’s time to grab a straw, as well as some cover.

Gunpowder Milkshake serves up bloody, candy colored justice only on Netflix, starting July 14th. Unless you’re in an international market, in which case, this beautifully brutal tale will be available in theaters. So check your listings closely, and plan your wardrobe accordingly.

Karen Gillan and Lena Headey are old pros when it comes to playing fierce ladies. Gillan is familiar to audiences as Nebula in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as well as the Doctor’s companion Amy Pond on the BBC’s Doctor Who. Headey is known to virtually anyone with a television for her stint as Cersei Lannister on HBO’s Game of Thrones, as well as her work on Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles and 300: Rise of an Empire. The two of them will be joining forces for Gunpowder Milkshake, and Netflix just secured the rights to the upcoming action film.

Deadline reported that Netflix bought the distribution rights to STX Film’s female-driven action flick Gunpowder Milkshake. Helmed by Israeli director Navot Papushado, the film will star Karen Gillan, Lena Headey and Angela Bassett. The feature will be Papushado’s first English-language project. His previous film, Big Bad Wolf, received rave reviews when it premiered at multiple international film festivals. He also co-wrote the Gunpowder Milkshake script with writer Ehud Lavski.

Karen Gillan and Lena Headey won’t be the only women taking names in the upcoming thriller. Additional cast members include Carla Gugino from The Haunting of Hill House and Gerald’s Game, and Michelle Yeoh from Star Trek: Discovery and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. The plot of the movie centers on a group of female assassins - and I can’t think of a better set of actresses to take on that challenge.

This group of stellar actresses might have a franchise on their hands. Gunpowder Milkshake has wrapped production, and producing companies Studiocanal and The Picture Company already reportedly have a sequel in the works. It will join Netflix franchise hopeful The Old Guard, another original action film that starred Charlize Theron and was directed by Gina Prince-Blythewood. A potential Old Guard sequel has been discussed, but no concrete information has materialized yet.

Another franchise that looks to be springing up on Netflix hails from the Chris Hemsworth vehicle Extraction. The film was a huge hit for the streaming service and a sequel was greenlit soon after its premiere. However, director Joe Russo (also of Marvel fame) has hinted that he is working on an entire set of movies in the Extraction universe. The films would all be spinoffs of supporting characters, such as Gaspar or Ovi. While nothing has been confirmed yet, it would be exciting to see the world of Extraction expand beyond the initial film.

Netflix has an incredible lineup of upcoming action films, and it sounds like Gunpowder Milkshake will be the next in a long line of hits. Keep checking back with CinemaBlend for more updates about the action movie, as well as any other major film and TV news.

Game of Thrones vet Lena Headey has taken on a number of voice-acting roles since first landing the part of Cersei Lannister on HBO's epic fantasy drama. But the actress has now landed her first big live-action since portraying Cersei in the HBO series, and it's another intriguing genre project.

Lena Headey will star in the previously announced psychological thriller Beacon 23, which is being set up through Spectrum Originals and AMC Networks. In it, Headey stars as Aster, a woman who mysteriously finds her way to a lonely beacon keeper and his lighthouse in the darkest recesses of space. The series, from creator Zak Penn, will follow two people whose fates become entangled after they find themselves trapped together at the end of the known universe. Sounds creepy enough, though more details will be needed to know how long this story can last episodically. It should make for an interesting switch for the actress, going from the gigantic Game of Thrones ensemble to the very limited cast of Beacon 23.

Not just a star, Lena Headey will also executive produce the project through her production company, Peephole Productions, as part of her first-look deal with Boat Rocker Studios. Zak Penn will serve as executive producer and showrunner, along with EPs Ira Steven Behr, Tina Thor, Elisa Ellis, and Katie O’Connell Marsh for Boat Rocker Studios.

Lena Headey is best known for her portrayal of Cersei Lannister in HBO’s Game of Thrones, and the actress can also be seen in 9 Bullets, Gunpowder Milkshake and The Trap - in which she made her writing/directing debut. In recent years, she has lent her voice to acclaimed TV shows such as HBO Max's Infinity Train, Nickelodeon's Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Netflix's The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. She'll soon be heard in Kevin Smith's He-Man series Masters of the Universe: Revelation.

In a statement, Zak Penn praised Lena Headey’s performances, hoping that he can deliver beyond everyone's expectations:

Beacon 23 is based on the book of the same name by The New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Hugh Howey. For those wondering how the show will make its way to viewers, it will have a nine-month exclusive run on Spectrum before jumping over to AMC Networks platforms. So for those who are already tapped into Spectrum's platform, the bragging rights to watching Lena Headey's return will come quicker, but AMC will certainly enjoy a traffic boost from Beacon 23's arrival, especially if they promote the hell out of Headey's involvement.

Game of Thrones is one of the most popular television series of the last few decades. The series already had a legion of built-in loyal fans because of George R.R Martin’s equally popular A Song of Ice and Fire book series. It became a massive pop culture hit and so popular that it broke HBO viewership records, made the cast household names, and received many TV award nominations. Game of Thrones brought HBO so much success that the network expanded the world of Game of Thrones with a spin-off: House of The Dragon, and had plans for a Jon Snow spin-off series. Despite the unfortunate cancelled plans for the Jon Snow spin-off, House of the Dragon is going strong. It is currently airing its second season and has a third season on the way.

No matter how people feel about the final season of the series, Game of Thrones carved its permanent place in TV history. It’ll be a series that people discover and love for many decades. The Game of Thrones cast has gained lifelong fans who want to know the latest news on the actors who played the Starks, Lannisters, Targaryens, and those in between. 

Since the Game of Thrones series finale, the cast members have remained busy booking gigs, starting families, and growing their empires.

Peter Dinklage (Tyrion Lannister)

Peter Dinklage played the wisecracking and resourceful Tyrion Lannister. Tyrion was shunned by his father Tywin (Charles Dance) and sister Cersei (Lena Headey), but had a close relationship with his brother Jaime (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau). Tyrion often found himself as an adviser for those in charge. He was an advocate for women and wine. Peter Dinklage won four Emmy awards for his work as Tyrion Lannister.

Following Game of Thrones’ end, Dinklage returned to The Angry Birds Movie franchise by lending his voice to The Angry Birds Movie 2. He also played a fictionalized version of himself in the Between Two Ferns movie. He appeared with an ensemble cast in I Care A Lot, a movie with a memorable ending. 

He also appeared in The Croods: A New Age, Cyrano, American Dreamer, Thor: Love and Thunder, and The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes. His upcoming projects include Brothers and Thicket, which is based on Joe R. Lansdale’s book of the same name. He also plays Dr. Dillamond in Wicked. In 2021, Variety reported that he would lend his voice to one of the leads in This Was Our Pact. 

Lena Headey (Cersei Lannister)

Lena Headey as Cersei played one-half of the infamous Lannister twins. The woman who would be queen inherited her father’s ruthlessness. Cersei hated everyone and everything, except her brother Jaime and her children. Lena Headey received several Emmy nominations for her Cersei Lannister portrayal, but never received the Emmy that she deserved.

In 2019, Headey had a supporting role in the critically acclaimed movie Fighting with My Family. She starred opposite Nick Frost, Florence Pugh, and Vince Vaughn. She plays the mother to Karen Gillan’s character in Gunpowder Milkshake, a movie about an estranged mother-daughter assassin team. Gunpowder Milkshake also stars Angela Bassett, Carla Gugino, Michelle Yeoh, and Paul Giamatti. Headey lends her voice to Kevin Smith’s animated Masters of the Universe: Revelation. 

Headey has also done voice-over work for Infinity Train, Wizards: Tales of Arcadia, and The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. She appeared in White House Plumbers and co-starred in Beacon 23. Headey’s upcoming projects include Long Pork, Ballistic, and the upcoming Netflix series The Abandons. 

Kit Harington (Jon Snow)

Kit Harington played the king of knowing nothing, Jon Snow on Game of Thrones. He was the bastard son of Ned Stark (Sean Bean), at least that’s what everyone assumed until the truth came out. Jon Snow was a member of the Night’s Watch. He tried to live his life by a code of morals and a sense of duty.

From 2018 to 2019, Harington appeared at the Vaudeville Theatre in London in the first West End production of the play True West. He then appeared as Henry V in Henry V at Donmar Warehouse. Harington voiced the character of Eret in How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World. He played Dane Whitman in Eternals. This project reunited him with his former Game of Thrones brother Richard Madden. Harington also stars in Baby Ruby and Blood for Dust. 

His next projects include the film Eternal Return and Season 3 of Industry. In July 2024, he appears in the movie The Beast Within. In 2024, he bared it all to the theatre world in the West End production of Slave Play.

Emilia Clarke (Daenerys Targaryen)

Emilia Clarke played the presumed last remaining Targaryen, and some would claim the rightful queen of the Iron Throne. Game of Thrones followed Daenerys as she grew from a young innocent girl to a powerful leader. Along with her dragons, Daenerys traveled far and wide to retake her spot as the leader of the seven kingdoms. Daenerys’ journey was one of the most compelling parts of the Game of Thrones series. Clarke received many Emmy nominations for her role as Daenerys Targaryen.

In 2019, Clarke played Kate in Last Christmas. She starred opposite Henry Golding in this romantic dramedy about a woman who learns the true meaning of Christmas and giving. Clarke also appeared in Above Suspicion, a movie about the first FBI agent convicted of murder. Clarke appeared in 2020 and 2022 in a theatrical production of Anton Chekhov’s  The Seagull. Clarke’s other post-Game of Thrones projects include Marvel’s Secret Invasion, The Amazing Maurice, and The Pod Generation. Her upcoming projects include the animated film The Twits and the Amazon Crime Drama Criminal. Netflix will release Twits in 2025.

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jaime Lannister)

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau’s Jaime Lannister tried to live an honorable life as the Kingslayer. He was always willing to bend the rules of honor when it came to protecting his family, especially Cersei. Jaime began Game of Thrones as one of the series’ antiheroes but slowly started to earn a heroic title, until all character development flew out the window like Tommen Baratheon (Dean-Charles Chapman).

Coster-Waldau appeared in two projects in 2019, Suicide Tourist and Domino. Coster-Waldau has roles in The Silencing, Krudttønden, Against the Ice, God is a Bullet, and The Last Thing He Told Me. Coster-Waldau was the lead in the Geffen Playhouse version of Macbeth in 2020. In 2024, he starred in the docuseries An Optimist’s Guide to the Planet. In 2023, he signed on to star in King and Conqueror for CBS Studios. Production began on the series in 2024.

Sophie Turner (Sansa Stark)

Sophie Turner played Sansa Stark on Game of Thrones. Sansa had a rough path to find her place in Winterfell and among the world of warring families and power thirst. Of all the Game of Thrones characters, her ending fit her journey the most.

Turner appeared in her ex-husband’s music videos for “Sucker” and “What a Man Gotta Do,” and expanded their family. Career-wise, Turner has been just as busy. She reprised her role as Jean Grey in X-Men: Dark Phoenix in 2019. Then she appeared in the revenge thriller Heavy. In 2020, Turner had the lead role in Survive, a TV series about a woman who survives a plane crash but now must survive being on a snow-covered mountain with only one other survivor. 

Turner kept busy with the projects Do Revenge, Every Last Secret, The Prince, and The Staircase. Her next projects include Joan and Trust. According to Deadline, Turner will reunite with Harington in the horror film The Dreadful. She will also lead an ensemble cast in the heist series Haven.

Alfie Allen (Theon Greyjoy)

Alfie Allen played Theon Greyjoy for Game of Throne’s eight seasons. Theon started the show as a Stark loyalist, but his desire for power and to live up to the Greyjoy name led to him betraying the family that raised him. Then he spent the final few seasons trying to make up for this mistake.

Allen played Isaac Pincher in the third season of the Hulu series Harlots. Allen’s TV roles also include White House Farm, SAS: Rogue Heroes, and the upcoming Safe Harbor. Safe Harbor also stars former Game of Thrones cast member Jack Gleeson. Game of Thrones stars Gemma Whelan and Mark Addy also have roles in White House Farm.  Allen’s film roles include a part in the Academy Award-winning film Jojo Rabbit. He starred opposite Beanie Feldstein in How to Build a Girl, a movie based on Caitlin Moran’s book. 

Allen appeared in Netflix’s 2021 movie Night Teeth. It’s a thriller about a chauffeur who ends up fighting for his life after he drives two women to five different parties in Los Angeles. In 2024, his movie McVeigh premiered at the Tribeca Festival. Also in 2024, he was cast to star alongside Shazad Latif and Samira Wiley in Atomic, a five-part series. 

Maisie Williams (Arya Stark)

Maisie Williams played Arya Stark, the girl who would have some of the most debated moments of the final Game of Thrones season. Arya was the adventurous, tomboy Stark girl who went from a young child to a girl with no name to one of the series’ greatest heroes.

Williams made her X-Men debut when The New Mutants finally hit theaters in 2020. She plays Rahne Sinclair, aka Wolfsbane, a Scottish mutant who shape-shifts into a wolf.  Williams also appeared in the films The Owners and the TV shows Two Weeks to Live, The New Look, and Pistol. 

In 2019, she also launched a social media platform called Daisie. It aims to be a networking site for creatives looking to collaborate on projects and to help newcomers receive exposure for their work. In 2022, Maisie Williams signed on to co-star with Freddie Highmore in the comedy Sinner v. Saints. The Hollywood Reporter mentioned filming on it was scheduled to begin in 2023, but as of June 2024, production has not begun. Williams appears in Press Your Luck. The film is based on the Michael Larson Press Your Luck cheating scandal.

Isaac Hempstead Wright (Bran Stark)

Isaac Hempstead Wright played Bran Stark, one of the youngest of the Stark clan. He kicked Game of Thrones off with a bang by showing that the show would, in fact, harm kids. Bran eventually becomes the Three-Eyed Raven and gains power.

Hempstead Wright is in a film called Voyagers. Voyagers depicts the story of 30 people sent into space to search for a new home. The film has an ensemble cast that includes Colin Farrell, Lily-Rose Depp, Fionn Whitehead, and Tye Sheridan.

Gwendoline Christie (Brienne of Tarth)

Gwendoline Christie played Brienne of Tarth, a brave knight who often faced challenges because of prejudices against women warriors. Her kind heart, loyalty, and honorable nature won her respect and love, especially from the Kingslayer.

Christie appears in The Personal History of David Copperfield. Dev Patel, Hugh Laurie, and Tilda Swinton also star in this movie. She played Titania in the 2019 Bridge Theatre stage production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Christie is part of the cast of Our Friend, a movie featuring Dakota Johnson, Casey Affleck, and Jason Segel. It is about a man who puts his life on hold when a couple, his best friends, receive life-altering news. 

In 2022, Christie starred in the black comedy Flux Gourmet. Her past TV appearances include The Sandman and Wednesday. In 2022, Variety announced that she would join the cast of Severance Season 2 – she’ll make her debut on it in 2025. In 2024, Christie will appear in the Sky Cinema family film Robin and the Hoods.

Stream all eight seasons of Game of Thrones on Max. 

Ahead of the 71st Primetime Emmys, much ado was had over how many awards Game of Thrones would win after its record-setting nominations. It seemed like some of awards would be certain wins, especially those like Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama, where multiple Game of Thrones nominees were present. Yet, when that particular award came up and the world waited to see which GoT actress got the win, Ozark's Julia Garner was the one whose name was called.

Sophie Turner, Maisie Williams, Gwendoline Christie, and Lena Headey didn't need to be very shocked, because the world was shocked for them. The Game of Thrones actresses occupied 2/3rd's of the nominations, and yet it was Julia Garner, one of the two actresses not affiliated with the fantasy drama ended up winning the award. What exactly happened that led to this moment?

We can only speculate of course, but it's completely possible this is a situation of "too many cooks" being in the nomination count. There were so many Game of Thrones actresses to choose from, voters may have been torn on which actress deserved the award over the others, splitting those votes and allowing an outsider to rise up. It could certainly be the case that all the voters were in Garner's corner from the start, but it's not quite as likely.

While Season 8 of Game of Thrones was divisive, it's hard to argue most of Game of Thrones nominees were undeserving. Sophie Turner's verbal showdowns as Sansa were breath-taking, and Maisie Williams made Arya look about as strong as she ever was in some (literally) killer scenes. And who can forget Gwendoline Christie (who self submitted) and the emotional scene when Jaime tore open Brienne's heart and went back to his sister?

If there was any nominated performance that could've been debated, one could say Lena Headey's Cersei did considerably less in the final season than she had in seasons past. That's not to say she wasn't incredible throughout a bulk of the series, but Season 8 gave her very little screen time to really remind audiences why everyone loves the Lannister queen so much. Perhaps if Cersei got just a bit more time to shine, Game of Thrones could've captured this award. Or not.

For the record, Julia Garner is fantastic as Ruth Langmore in Ozark. While it is shocking that all the Game of Thrones actresses lost, it's not at all like Garner is undeserving of the award, especially after fueling all of that fearsome redneck energy she delivers in the Netflix original. Any nominee upset about losing in the category needs only watch the first episode of Ozark Season 2 to understand why Garner deserved that recognition.

It's worth noting this category was not the only time this particular kind of upset happened at the 2019 Emmys. Julia Garner's Ozark co-star Jason Bateman ended up winning the Best Directing award, even while going up against multiple GoT candidates who helmed some of the most talked-about episode of any series this year.

While the many snubs may have been disappointing for Game of Thrones' cast and crew, it's fair to say the team and HBO were relieved that the show ended up winning the biggest award of the night for Outstanding Drama series. It may not be individual recognition, which Peter Dinklage got for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama, but there had to be some feeling of vindication when everyone took the stage for the one award the world was relatively sure Game of Thrones would win no matter what.

Anyone Else Feel Weird About The Game Of Thrones Spoilers In The Emmy Montage?

Do you think one of the Game of Thrones ladies should've won Outstanding Supporting Actress, and if so, which one was most deserving? Sound off in the comments below and continue to stick with CinemaBlend in the coming weeks as we break down all the great things coming to television and movies.

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The Game of Thrones cast is moving on. It has been over a month since the show’s series finale aired. Earlier this week it was Maisie Williams, and now comes another star who has landed their next project. Lena Headey has found her first leading post-Game of Thrones role, and it will take her back to premium cable!

She is not headed back to HBO. For her new venture, Lena Headey has signed on to star as the titular lead of the Showtime dramedy pilot, Rita, per Variety. If picked up, its episodes will span an hour. So far, Rita has a pilot production order. Much like the Game of Thrones prequel, its future is currently shrouded in a bit of mystery.

Not as mysterious is who Lena Headey will play. As you can imagine given Headey's star power, she'll be front and center as the titular Rita. Who is Rita? Well, she is a single mother who works as a teacher. She is described as an “unconventional” one.

Said to be “headstrong,” Rita is willing to confront every sort of authority. That includes her family. She'll do so in a “messy” and “unfiltered” manner. At first, it may not seem like it, but Cersei Lannister and Rita sort of have a lot in common.

Lena Headey’s Game of Thrones character was also strong-willed and keen to confront authority. She took on the High Sparrow and made herself Queen of the Seven Kingdoms. It does not get more confrontational than that. Still, this sounds like a breath of fresh air for Headey.

The actress has previously said that she wanted people to remember she has played characters besides Cersei Lannister. Has she ever! Two years before Game of Thrones started airing, Lena Headey starred as another major already-existing fictional player. Headey played Sarah Connor in the short-lived yet memorable (in my opinion) Fox series, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. After two seasons, the series ended in 2009.

Lena Headey is also well-known for her role playing Gorgo, Queen of Sparta, in the 300 franchise, and for playing Madeline "Ma-Ma" Madrigal in the 2012 cult favorite, Dredd. Headey’s work in the 2009 thriller Tell-Tale opposite Josh Lucas remains a personal favorite. As well as her turn in the movie Zipper, which is currently streaming on Netflix.

Speaking of Netflix, Lena Headey has joined the impressive vocal cast of the streamer’s series, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. As this is a voice role and not a live-action one, Headey will not be seen.

Christian Torpe is writing and executive producing the pilot for Rita. The Showtime series is based on Torpe’s Danish series. In addition to starring in the pilot, Lena Headey will also executive produce along with Elisa Ellis. I think the series sounds like a compelling platform for Headey, so an update on its status post-pilot will hopefully arrive soon.

Lena Headey has had a lot to say about Cersei’s ending on Game of Thrones. She also shared something intriguing about Cersei’s pregnancy on the show. The actors who brought the Lannister siblings to life are doing well post-Thrones. Headey’s co-star, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, also found his next TV project. Like Headey, his too is in the pilot stages.

Stay tuned to learn if Rita gets going. While you wait for an update, there is no shortage of summer content to watch on television. Relive Lena Headey’s performance as Cersei in the final season of Game of Thrones, which is already available on digital.

Lena Headey has revealed a vital piece of information about Game of Thrones, and this time it did not have anything to do with her feelings about how Cersei died. (Headey recently shared she wanted a better death for her diabolical character.) Now she is sharing something else.

Her latest revelation has to do with a deleted scene involving Cersei’s pregnancy during Season 7. Speaking at German Comic-Con, Lena Headey revealed that she filmed a scene of Cersei losing her baby for Game of Thrones' penultimate season.

In the video posted by Twitter user bb_cersei, Lena Headey describes the scene. She does not explain why it did not get used. That it did not make it into the show would seem to indicate it was not part of the series' canon.

In other words, Cersei probably did not suffer a miscarriage off-screen, and Game of Thrones never addressed it. My take is that they went in another direction.

I think the pregnancy was still progressing in Season 8 and there is evidence to support that. In the moments leading to Cersei's death, she became overwhelmed with dread. She told Jaime that she wanted their child to live, indicating they were still alive.

Plus, her costumes in Season 8 seemed to suggest a maternity style. They had more of an empire waist to them. She did continue to drink wine. You would think Qyburn would have told her to stop considering the pregnancy.

That Cersei lied and told Euron that he was the father of her baby was not all that telling of anything regarding her pregnancy. She felt betrayed by Jaime and needed to make an alliance with Euron. Making him believe he had sired a child with her helped do that.

Cersei’s stunning pregnancy announcement occurred in Season 7. She was still fresh into her role as the then-Queen of the Seven Kingdoms and living it up with her twin brother/lover Jaime. As of Season 6’s conclusion, all of Cersei and Jaime’s children had died.

Meaning House Lannister had no more living heirs and no one for Cersei to pass the kingdom onto. Then Game of Thrones revealed the Lannister line would continue via Cersei and Jaime’s new baby. The news eventually reached their brother, Tyrion.

Fans quickly speculated that Cersei was making up the pregnancy. However, the scripts for Season 7 finally provided clarity on the matter. When the penultimate season concluded, Tyrion, Jaime, and Qyburn were all in the know about the latest Lannister.

Jaime ended up leaving Cersei’s side in King’s Landing to fight the dead in the North. The two parted on terrible terms. After surviving the Battle of Winterfell, Jaime got together with Brienne briefly, before returning to Cersei. In the bedlam of Daenerys’ rampage on King’s Landing, the pair were crushed to death.

Lena Headey’s deleted scene revelation joins the scrapped direwolf scene in a growing list of what could have been. It is a lot to sift through. I am curious to have Game of Thrones’ showrunners explain what led to their decision to remove the scene and the outcome. Check out the video of Lena Headey discussing the deleted scene below:

Game of Thrones’ final season is already available on digital. With so much to still contemplate, thank goodness summer television is providing a chance to decompress.

Game of Thrones was known for a lot during its run, but it's fair to say "killing characters" was probably one of the more notable things people will remember it for. The series killed off characters both evil and beloved in creative ways, so all eyes were on the show in Season 8 as audiences wondered how some of the main stars would bite the dust.

This was especially true in the case of Cersei Lannister, whose character was responsible for some truly horrifying forms of torture and execution in her tenure as ruler of Westeros. Unfortunately, fans were let down when Cersei died a rather unceremonious death in which she was crushed beneath the castle. Those who felt the send off was lacking weren't alone, as Lena Headey has now come out and admitted she would've liked to have seen Cersei get a better death.

As Lena Headey said above, Game of Thrones was a show where someone could die in the most creative ways. Cersei could've had molten gold poured on her head, been betrayed by someone close to her, or had her skin flayed and slowly fed to Drogon. Instead, the powerful ruler stood whimpering in her brother's loving arms beneath the castle, and the scene was littered with dust before any of the violence of the collapse was shown.

The death was one of Lena Headey's complaints about Game of Thrones Season 8, although her conversation with The Guardian implied she may have more. But, any other gripes she's apparently saving for a night where she's had a drink and is in the company of showrunners Dan Weiss and David Benioff. It's hard to imagine what other gripes she'd have considering Cersei didn't have a ton of screentime in Season 8, but maybe that's the other thing she'd bring up.

In regards to how she's doing after Game of Thrones ending, Lena Headey revealed she's doing fine. She credits that to her age and experience within the industry, and said that her emotion following the conclusion of long projects has waned with each one she's said goodbye to over the years. With that said, she certainly understood how the show ending could be emotional and troubling for the younger actors who grew up with the show.

Watch Jon Snow Apologize For Game Of Thrones Season 8 In Hilarious (Fake) Video

Game of Thrones is over, but the series can still be binged on HBO's on demand and streaming services. Plus there's that prequel that's coming up in the future, so be sure to stick with CinemaBlend for updates on what's happening with that in the meantime.

Spoilers for Game of Thrones Season 8 are discussed below.

When it came to Season 8, Game of Thrones had no shortage of shockers. Among them was Arya Stark killing the Night King and not killing Cersei Lannister -- the person at the top of Arya's kill list for so long. Cersei ended up dying during Daenerys Targaryen's attack on King’s Landing. Cersei was crushed under the rubble alongside her brother/lover Jaime.

Actress Maisie Williams, who plays Arya, revealed she expected a last-minute twist to reveal that Arya had taken her revenge after all. She thought Arya was wearing Jaime’s face when he showed up to try to save Cersei. Weighing in with her biggest regret for Arya in Game of Thrones’ final season, Williams told EW:

It turns out that Arya took The Hound’s advice instead. Deciding to leave behind her self-destructive path for revenge. One that The Hound himself was planning to take to its ultimate conclusion. Who better to show her a new way? Exactly.

Maisie Williams explained her process as she read through the penultimate episode. Realizing that after eight seasons, Arya would not be getting her revenge on Cersei after all. Talking about the moment of truth with The Hound, Williams said:

Arya’s arc was not what she expected and I think that makes absolute sense given her trajectory throughout the past eight seasons. Arya choosing to live instead of dying with revenge marked a maturation for the character, in my opinion. She realized she had a lot more to live for than die fighting to avenge.

As shocking as it was, I think it was a decision that was logical for her to make. Maisie Williams and countless fans were not the only ones wanting an Arya vs Cersei showdown in the final season. Lena Headey (Cersei) wanted one too. Speaking of the hope for one to happen, Headey said:

In the end, all of the build-up to a moment of reckoning between Cersei and Arya led to nothing. Much like Jon Snow’s much hinted at battle with the Night King. Game of Thrones subverted a lot of expectations with an ending chapter that saw a lot of hinted at threads lead to other outcomes.

Arya took The Hound’s advice, and the two shared a moving goodbye. The finale ended with Arya sailing off to see what is west of Westeros. Despite a lot of overnight excitement regarding a spinoff for the Game of Thrones fan-favorite, it is not set to happen.

The good news is that after spending so long focused on revenge, Arya got her life back. Having lived as though she had no future for so long, she gets to explore one. Dying alongside Cersei would have meant an act of short-lived revenge in the most definite sense of the word.

Unfortunately for The Hound, he could not take his own advice. He took revenge on his brother, The Mountain, heading into the fire together. Thankfully, Arya realized the best revenge is living well.

SPOILERS ahead from Game of Thrones Season 8 up to and including Episode 5, "The Bells."

Game of Thrones fans, raise your wine glasses to Cersei Lannister. The queen has left the building. Or the building left her underneath it. May she finally rest in peace. And may Lena Headey be forever hailed for her phenomenal performance.

Cersei was one of the many characters to die in a surprising way in Game of Thrones Season 8. The final season has not been a fan favorite as we approach the series finale next week. Cersei was kept mostly on the sidelines for the first five episodes, just watching the action play out -- or off screen while the action focused on Winterfell.

Cersei spent most of her final episode just watching Daenerys Targaryen and Drogon destroy King's Landing. She only took action when she was finally convinced the city had fallen. Ultimately, it looked like she would die alone, but then Jaime Lannister reunited with her under the Red Keep, which collapsed on them -- but not before they hugged and he held her, saying no one else mattered but the two of them.

Lena Headey shared her initial reaction to Cersei's final scene:

Yeah, there was so much speculation about how Cersei would die -- whether tied to the valonqar prophecy from George R.R. Martin's book or whether Arya Stark would kill the green-eyed lass or what. It would've been cool to see Cersei have some kind of fight showdown with Dany or Arya, or anyone. She's not a swordsman or anything, but she usually has another trick up her sleeve. She knows how to fight back, and fight dirty. Not this time.

Lena Headey told EW she came around to appreciating Cersei and Jaime's joint endgame after talking it out with Nikolaj Coster-Waldau:

Throughout Game of Thrones, Jaime and Cersei had a codependent relationship. Cersei had said in the past that they came into the world together and would leave together. They belong together. They were a toxic couple right from the first episode. The things I do for love. So as frustrating as it was for fans to see Jaime slide back into his old ways after finding such a good match with Ser Brienne, it was pretty on-brand.

Some fans were frustrated with Episode 5 humanizing Cersei -- right after she gave Missandei the Ned Stark treatment -- while Dany was shown killing innocent people. That was not exactly on-brand for the Breaker of Chains. You could argue both queens were shown to be acting out of character.

Lena Headey previously told EW she didn't agree with the decision in the Season 8 premiere for Cersei to have sex with Euron. The actress didn't think it was in Cersei's character to give in so quickly.

I will attempt to refrain from commenting on the showrunners knowing what they're doing, beyond what I've already said.

Cersei's fate was prophesied in George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire book series, but the HBO show left out the part about the "valonqar." That's the part of Maggy the Frog's prophecy that said, "When your tears have drowned you, the valonqar shall wrap his hands about your pale white throat and choke the life from you." Valonqar is the High Valyrian word for "little brother," and Jaime was the twin born after Cersei. Even though that never made it to the TV show, some fans think Jaime being there holding Cersei's face in comfort was a take on the valonqar prophecy:

Eh, I suppose. That could be considered a subtle twist. He's not the one choking the life from her, but OK. Book Cersei always assumed Tyrion would be the valonqar. Fans suspected Jaime. I was wondering if the show might even twist it to be Euron, another little brother. Or Arya using the face of Jaime.

Game of Thrones does like to give us double bluffs and subvert expectations. They may even have Arya kill Dany as the "green eyed" person in Melisandre's prophecy even though Dany does not really have green eyes. In the books, they are purple, and Cersei is the one with green eyes. On screen, Emilia Clarke has grey/hazel eyes and it was previously mentioned that Dany had blue eyes. But this show does not care. Or if they do care, they'll have Arya listen to The Hound and stop trying to get revenge for everything.

Now that Game of Thrones is over for the actors, Lena Headey is hoping fans remember she's not just Cersei Lannister. She had a career before GoT and she hopes to continue showing her range afterward.

There's only one episode left for the rest of us, and Game of Thrones Season 8, Episode 6 airs Sunday, May 19 at 9 p.m. ET on HBO. There are still plenty of plot points the show has to wrap up in some way before the end. The Night King and Cersei are both dead, but it feels like Dany will be next. And then what? Will anyone sit on the Iron Throne or will Dany at least have been able to successfully "break the wheel"? Jon Snow has made it painfully clear he does not want to rule. Maybe Tyrion could take over? There's only one more week to guess, and a lifetime of second-guessing whatever choices are made.

Spoilers for Game of Thrones Season 8 are discussed below.

Game of Thrones just got through with its giant battle at Winterfell, and now it is full steam ahead on the next agenda: The struggle for the Iron Throne. In the trailer for Episode 4, Queen Daenerys Targaryen looked and sounded ready to get her showdown with Queen Cersei Lannister underway.

Clearly, Dany is not letting Jon Snow’s reveal about his claim as the rightful heir to the Iron Throne dissuade her. She wants to be the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms, and she is ready to take down Cersei to get it.

There are still quite a few things that could stand in her way. Emilia Clarke’s unsettling reaction to Dany’s final scene on Game of Thrones was telling. What she said indicated that Daenerys may not go out on the best note. Is that because she dies? Or is it the way she goes out on the show, personality-wise?

Emilia Clarke also teased that Episode 5 is going to be a massive episode of Game of Thrones. Will that be the one where she and Lena Headey's Cersei collide? Could the winner of the Iron Throne be determined in that installment? There is a lot of reason to think it may. Remember, Episode 5 is the penultimate episode of the series.

As fans know, the penultimate installment of Game of Thrones tends to be a large one in any given season. Why change the formula now? It makes sense for Dany's war with Cersei to crescendo in that episode. Now, to the other question. Will Cersei die before the end of Game of Thrones?

Cersei does not necessarily have to die. However, her death has been highly prophesized, and many fans feel like her demise is inevitable. The question is if it happens, who will be the one to do it? Cersei’s disgruntled brothers have long been speculated to be the culprits.

Tyrion already killed his father, Tywin. Doing so has seemed to weigh on Tyrion mightily. The aftermath changing him forever. I do not think he would snap and kill Cersei unless she did something so heinous he felt he had no choice.

Cersei has hired Bronn to kill Tyrion and Jaime. That's something I cannot see him going through with given his friendship with them. Learning she did that would not be that enraging for either of her brothers. Her trying to kill them (or at least Tyrion) is just par for the course.

Back to Tyrion. No matter what Cersei does, it would not make sense for Tyrion to kill her knowing that she is pregnant. If memory serves, only he, Jaime, and Qyburn have the knowledge that she is. No matter how angry he gets, Tyrion would not harm her for that reason alone.

The same thing applies to Jaime. Cersei is having his baby, and he has an unconditional love for her. That is how she gets away with so much. Jaime is not particularly prone to rash killings anymore, and the way the prophecy describes her murder makes it sound like one.

Jaime is a total softie when it comes to Cersei, and nothing she could do would really change that. He gets angry and not much else. Following Melisandre’s words to Arya, many fans believe that the Stark assassin will kill Cersei too.

Since Arya doing that seems sort of obvious at this point, it also seems doubtful. If the goal of her killing the Night King was to be shocking, then the same rule should apply to Cersei. Meaning someone unexpected (not Arya) should kill her.

It's also worth noting that Jon Snow and The Hound are also younger brothers. That's a key description of her killer in the prophecy from George R.R. Martin's book series. Jon is the youngest of Rhaegar Targaryen’s three children. The Hound is the younger brother of The Mountain.

As for the Iron Throne, its fate is very much in question. Cersei has a weapon that could kill one of Daenerys’ dragons. While Daenerys has, well, her dragons. So, this is sort of cut and dry, unless Qyburn’s weapon can hurt one of them.

Then there is the biggest issue of all. Daenerys is not the "rightful" heir to the Iron Throne by blood. Before the Battle of Winterfell began, Jon Snow revealed his true lineage to her. Those birth certificate credentials give him a biological claim that surpasses Dany's to the Iron Throne. (There's still potential for Gendry to have a Baratheon claim in this game too.)

In the trailer for the next episode, Daenerys acts as though it is a non-factor. Maybe Jon Snow tells her it is, since he has never wanted to rule? Or she is simply proceeding as if she never heard it and daring Jon to make the next move. Check it out below:

Jon is in a similar spot to Ned Stark many years ago. He knows a truth that changes who rightfully belongs on the Iron Throne. However, he like, Ned is not in a safe spot to pursue his claim, even if he wanted to. Daenerys has custody of the dragons.

She could offer Jon the Iron Throne, and he refuses. However, her demeanor upon hearing the news did not seem to fit with that. Of course, something could change in the next episode. It just seems unlikely that it will.

Tune in as Dany and Cersei’s battle for the Iron Throne heats up when Game of Thrones’ Season 8 continues. New episodes of the final season air Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO.

Game of Thrones is about to air its final season. During its run, Cersei Lannister has been one of the show’s most dangerous players. By the end, Lena Headey will have played Cersei Lannister with tremendous might for eight seasons.

The actress wants viewers to know that she can play more than the iron-fisted Cersei. Reflecting on the road ahead, post-Cersei, Lena Headey revealed her desire for folks to see the next step in her acting career. Speaking about her career outside of Game of Thrones, Headey told The Daily Beast:

This Game of Thrones viewer can recall Lena Headey’s work long before she took on the intimidating role of Cersei. In fact, she was one of the recognizable faces that started with the show. Before starring on the HBO hit, she gave memorable turns in Zac Snyder’s hit flick 300 as well as in the lead role as Sarah Conner in Fox’s sci-fi series Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.

It is also worth mentioning that Lena Headey was great in the 2009 thriller Tell Tale. After that, during her time on Game of Thrones, she also turned in an understatedly spectacular performance in 2015’s Zipper.

Hence, she has already proven she has what it takes to make good on showing viewers the other facets of her acting abilities. Lena Headey has a range. She has more in store after wowing audiences as the cunning Cersei.

Now that filming for Game of Thrones is over, there should be a mountain of offers piling up for her to take on her next big role. It will be interesting to find out what that will be.

For now, viewers can look forward to her final bow as one of Game of Thrones’ hardest-to-anticipate characters. Following in that tradition, Cersei was a scene-stealer in the trailer for Season 8. Her brief shots were enough to fill speculation until the premiere.

From the sneak peeks alone, it is clear that Lena Headey is going for gold. If you are looking forward to her acting out her final moments as the seemingly doomed queen, you are not alone. It should undoubtedly be another towering performance.

Heading into the final season, Cersei is still the reigning Queen of the Seven Kingdoms. Despite theories to the contrary, there is also confirmation that she is indeed pregnant with her twin brother’s baby. So she has a lot on the line as the series’ final bow begins.

Lena Headey was around before Game of Thrones, and there is every reason to believe her career will keep going strong after it. Find out how the ending chapter of Cersei’s story concludes when Game of Thrones' final season premieres. Season 8 starts Sunday, April 14 at 9 p.m. ET on HBO.

The eighth and final season of Game of Thrones will finally hit the airwaves in a few months, and six episodes will need to wrap up the stories of characters fans have come to know and love/hate/tolerate since the show’s premiere back in 2011. The cast members had to say goodbye to their iconic characters, and Lena Headey, who plays Cersei, shared her reaction to her final scene:

In the grand scheme of Cersei’s journey on Game of Thrones, it would have been fitting if Lena Headey’s final scene had been something like sitting regally on the Iron Throne or staring down her enemies or standing on top of the map of the Seven Kingdoms. Instead, according to Headey’s comments to Variety, her final scene out of eight seasons of Thrones action was going up and down some stairs.

Well, Cersei can’t be blowing up septs, betraying allies, and/or banging her brother in all her scenes! Based on Lena Headey’s statement that her final day was “weirdly tedious,” I think we can rule out a second Walk of Atonement as what had her going up and down those steps. Even though doing anything over and over again would get tedious after a time, I can’t imagine a Walk of Atonement 2.0 qualifying!

Unfortunately -- and unsurprisingly -- Lena Headey didn’t drop any details about what exactly Cersei is doing in the final scene she filmed, or in any of Cersei’s other scenes. Like the rest of the cast, Headey is keeping secrets of the final season, although Sophie Turner openly admits to spoiling the ending for some people. Very little footage from Season 8 has released, and the showrunners have said that they’re not big fans of trailers.

It’s worth noting that TV shows rarely film chronologically, so Lena Headey’s final scene of Game of Thrones probably isn’t Cersei’s final scene. Whether she lives, dies, becomes a wight, and/or finally gets her comeuppance, Cersei will likely get an ending that is anything but tedious. It might be weird, though. She is pregnant with her twin brother’s baby, after all.

Lena Headey isn’t the only Game of Thrones star to share feelings about their final days on set. Peter Dinklage described his last day as “anticlimactic,” although many members of the cast did come to be with him as he wrapped, and he attempted to do the same for them. Maisie Williams described a bit of what to expect in Arya’s last hurrah, and it was “perfect” for her.

Emilia Clarke had a downright unsettling reaction to Dany’s last scene, so the Mother of Dragons’ big goodbye should be an interesting experience. Kit Harington opened up about how many times the final season scripts made him cry, and it sounds like the final table reads of the series were emotional for everybody involved.

We’ll find out after the eighth season of Game of Thrones premieres Sunday, April 14 at 9 p.m. ET on HBO. That’s still quite a length of time to wait, so swing by our midseason TV premiere schedule for some small screen option to fill the time before the return to Westeros.

While the Game of Thrones cast tends to joke around a lot at each other's expense, it seems as though a bulk of them get along pretty well. Things apparently aren't as easygoing as they seem with two cast members, though, as a wild rumor has surfaced that two actors involved with the show are explicitly being kept apart and refuse to appear in scenes together. Here's what's being said about Jerome Flynn and Lena Headey, and how it might mean fans will never get to see an exchange between Cersei and Bronn.

This whole rumor dates back to a 2014 article in The Telegraph in which a Game of Thrones crew member said the staff was actively working to keep both Jerome Flynn and Lena Headey apart. The two had a brief relationship back in the early 2000's but had split up by the time the series began. At the time of the rumor's posting, it was said neither Flynn nor Headey could even stand to be in the same room as one another. The source was never identified, nor the rumor confirmed regarding the measures taken by staff in regards to the two actors, but fans are giving the old rumor new life following the events that took place in the finale.

Spoiler alert for those who haven't seen the Season 7 finale, but, as Game of Thrones fans may or may not remember, Bronn was not present for the scene in which all the big characters met in the Dragon Pit. Instead, Jerome Flynn's character opted instead to take Pod for a drink and the two trotted off before Lena Headey's Cersei made her appearance. It was a cool moment for fans of Pod, but in the scope of all the events happening in Game of Thrones, it didn't make a ton of sense to some fans.

Game of Thrones fans have seen Bronn's value to Jaime Lannister as a second in command, so it doesn't really make sense that his character isn't present to witness the White Walkers he would've presumably been up against had Cersei not flipped the script. Even beyond that moment, it's incredibly odd that Bronn has been in such close proximity to Cersei's character for a bulk of the series, and still has yet to speak with her. Even though none of those facts change the reports of tension between Jerome Flynn and Lena Headey to anything more than a rumor, it is interesting to note. Of course, it could all be a coincidence and all these Game of Thrones rumor starters will look foolish when the two have an interaction at some point in Season 8.

In either case, there are more important things for GoT fans to discuss, like whether the internet should be pissed off at Samwell Tarly after the finale, or if Issac Hempstead Wright is trying to throw fans off the trail that he might be the Night King. Anyone fatigued with Game of Thrones arguments and just needing some good television can visit our fall premiere guide.

HBO's Game of Thrones is one of the biggest shows in the world, and the stars are bound to run into fans everywhere they go. Lena Headey plays Cersei Lannister, who spent six seasons fighting her way to the top in King's Landing. Rather memorably, Cersei was forced to have her hair chopped off and go on a barefoot and naked walk of atonement through the streets of King's Landing while a septa rang a bell and cried "Shame! Shame!" for all to hear. As it turns out, Headey had to relive that moment with a fan at an incredibly inappropriate time: right after giving birth. She described the encounter, saying this:

After Lena Headey gave birth to her daughter, she just so happened to be assigned a nurse who was a big fan of Game of Thrones and wasn't afraid to show her enthusiasm. Some fans are nervous to even approach stars on the street; this nurse was apparently brave enough that she combined her knowledge Thrones with helping Lena Headey breastfeed. I have to wonder if the nurse wasn't a little bit emboldened by the fact that Headey was evidently schnockered on morphine. Judging by her comments to The New York Times, she wasn't going to object to much of anything. Hopefully the nurse chose not to enact any of the rest of the walk of atonement, which got pretty ugly in the show.

Lena Headey was actually pregnant with her daughter when the walk of atonement was filmed for the Season 5 finale, although the pregnancy wasn't at all visible. A body double was used for the shots of Cersei entirely in the nude, with Headey only appearing in shorts that didn't show too much of her skin. CGI and camera tricks were used to make the scene look as though it featured only one woman walking the streets of King's Landing.

The show shelled out a hefty chunk of change to make the scene happen. The Game of Thrones production team needed many permits to shoot the long nude scene, and 200 security guards were on hand to protect the actress. Local shop owners were even paid off to stay away from the area in Croatia during the shoot. At the end of the day, filming the walk of atonement cost about $50,000 per day over four days.

It was a $200,000 scene, and it luckily worked quite well to set up Cersei's motivation moving forward. If not for the walk of atonement, she might not have had the necessary drive to blow up the political players in King's Landing and murder the septa who so thoroughly shamed her.

We'll soon get to see Lena Headey back in action as Cersei Lannister, as Game of Thrones returns for Season 7 on July 16. Swing by our breakdown of what we know so far about Season 7, and check out our summer TV premiere schedule for all your other small screen viewing options.

Casting an icon from a comic book universe is an incredibly difficult process; sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't. The DCEU has seen casting decisions go both ways over the course of the last few years, and these developments are only going to become more interesting as the silver screen DC roster deepens. Now it seems that Game of Thrones star Lena Headey has thrown her hat into the ring to portray Selina Kyle a.k.a Catwoman, and it's a casting decision that seems like a total no-brainer to us. Check out the Cersei Lannister's tweet below.

It's a tweet that's short, sweet, and to the point, and it certainly echoes what many of us are now thinking: why the fuck hasn't Lena Headey been cast to play Selina Kyle yet? As far as casting decisions go for the DCEU, this one pretty much seems like an obvious choice. The Game of Thrones actress has a long resume of genre work that includes Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, as well as the cult classic Dredd, so she knows her way around a fight scene. Beyond her penchant for action, sci-fi, and fantasy work (which already makes her a perfect candidate for Catwoman), at 43-years-old, she's arguably the perfect age to play a convincing long-time love interest for Ben Affleck's older Batman. The Magnificent Seven's Haley Bennett recently suggested the possibility that she may take on the part of Selina Kyle, but I personally think that an older and more seasoned version of Catwoman is the smarter choice for Warner Bros. and DC at this point.

Getting the casting of Catwoman right is a fundamental creative decision for the future of the DCEU. In Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Batfleck specifically mentions to Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) that he has "known a few women" like her. That one line suggests a very deep history with Gotham City's femme fatales like Ms. Kyle, so bringing an actress like Headey onboard could go a long way towards fleshing out that mythology. After all, Catwoman is a vital aspect of the overarching Batman mythology whose publication history dates all the way back to Batman #1 in 1940 and the actress cast in the DCEU will have to live up to the legacy of heavy hitters like Anne Hathaway and Michelle Pfeiffer.

At this point, we still have no idea who DC wants for the role of Catwoman. Lena Headey is a phenomenal choice, but we will have to wait and see who makes the final cut. We will bring you more information related to this story as new updates become available. As of right now, Catwoman is expected to debut when David Ayer's Gotham City Sirens hits theaters.

It looks like Cersei's not just involved in the battle for the Iron Throne. The recently crowned head of King's Landing is also currently dealing with a custody battle with her former husband, Peter Loughran. Thanks to the way that custody was drawn up between the two individuals, HBO's Game of Thrones is now in the middle of the custody issue. Here's what's happening.

Currently, Peter Loughran and Lena Headey share custody of their son, but Lena Headey is only supposed to take Wyle to the U.K. when she is filming. Since Game of Thrones films in the U.K., she's been able to take Wylie with her, but TMZ is reporting that Peter Loughran believes that filming on the upcoming seventh season of Game of Thrones should be finished at this juncture. He also feels his son being in the U.K. limits access to his kid. Things were getting pretty sticky when Game of Thrones got involved.

Game of Thrones executive producer Bernadette Caulfield recently jumped into Lena Headey's court battle when she issued a short letter stating that Headey must be available to continue filming for the foreseeable future. The letter states that Game of Thrones will continue shooting through February of 2016 and states that Lena Headey must at least be available to come film in the U.K. through January:

Part of the issue may be that Game of Thrones actually started filming late this year in order to shoot more scenes that look as if they are in the wintertime, since winter did, in fact, come to Game of Thrones at the end of Season 6. The premiere date for Season 7 is expected to be later than usual, as well, which makes sense. It's unclear if Headey's ex knows about the differences in filming as relates to past seasons, or how much this would affect their custody agreement, but what is clear is that both sides are at a standstill in the matter, and a judge has yet to firmly make a decision.

In the past, Lena Headey has stated that Peter had allowed her to take Wylie with her to England since she is the breadwinner in the family, while Loughran has stated that he has not had contact with his son in some months. Headey has also noted Loughran has not seen his son, but seems to believe that is not because she has kept him from her. There's a lot of he said, she said all around, as frequently happens in custody cases. However, it does look like Lena Headey will have more Game of Thrones to film, whether or whether not she gets to bring her kid with her.

Spoilers for the Season 6 finale of Game of Thrones are all over this article. If you haven't caught the episode, yet, and would like to be surprised, please check out one of our other lovely articles.

Cersei had a big episode this weekend. While not as memorable as her naked walk of shame, the Season 6 finale was a more powerful one for the character, who finally came into her own during "The Winds of Winter." She used wildfire to vanquish her enemies, but the decision also cost Cersei her son, Tommen, fulfilling the prophecy that Maggy the fortuneteller had told her so long ago. Following the episode, actress Lena Headey spoke out about learning what would happen during Season 6 and how she feels about the huge twist the script thrust upon her. Here's what she had to say:

After a couple of seasons of dealing with the High Sparrow and steadily losing ground in King's Landing, Cersei took matters into his own hands in one fell swoop. She secured her son Tommen in an area far away from where the trials were being held. Then, she had Qybern's "little birds" use the wildfire hidden under the city to blow up the High Sparrow and even Loras and Margaery Tyrell. Unfortunately, Cersei didn't anticipate the emotional toll this would take on her youngest born son. After setting aside the crown, he ultimately opted to step out of a window, taking his own life. Obviously, a lot of fans were happy to see Cersei finally stand up for herself, even if it came in a deliciously villainous manner. The Tommen suicide was a little more surprising, but it did give the scene an edge, proving that every action has an equal and opposite reaction and that Cersei would have to pay a price for the horrible decision she made.

Lena Headey also told EW that Cersei was simply tired of never having the power to make sure that Westeros was headed in the direction she wanted.

One of my favorite moments during the episode occurred when Jaime Lannister returned to King's Landing following his journey to Rivverrun and back again. He was on the road and couldn't have known exactly what happened in his absence, but he walked in, smiling, just as Cersei was given the crown. It harkened back to that conversation that Jaime had with Edmure Tully earlier this season, noting he didn't care about anything except for Cersei. Cersei may have had to sacrifice Tommen, but nothing will stand in the way of her and Jaime, now.

"The Winds of Winter" was the Season 6 finale of Game of Thrones. Luckily, the drama has already been renewed for Season 7 and you can find out what we know about the upcoming episodes here.

The Final Fantasy series of video games is one of the most popular franchises in the medium, and the next game is the series, Final Fantasy XV is one of the most anticipated in recent memory. Last night, at a special event put on by publisher Square Enix, they revealed more than just new details on the game, but also a movie that will take place in the same world. Check out the trailer for Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV.

We have to say the movie certainly looks impressive. While the trailer certainly relies more on visuals than explanation, the visuals look good. Several of the characters within the game will also crossover into the film, although the main character of Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV will be a new character named Nyx. The film will deal with two warring kingdoms, Lucis, home of the world’s last Crystal, and Niflheim, who is trying to steal it. The Kingsglaive of the title is the elite fighting force of the kingdom of Lucis who is charged with protecting the land. The game itself will follow the king’s son Noctis, while the movie appears to be focusing on the story back at home while the game is taking place.

The movie isn’t simply looking to be a media tie-in to the game, as they’ve scored some major talent to help voice the characters in the movie. Breaking Bad’s Aaron Paul, Game of Thrones’ Lena Headey, and Lord of the Rings Sean Bean will all be lending their voices to Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV. Place your bets now on whether or not Sean Bean is going to survive the entire film.

This will not be the Final Fantasy franchise's first foray into feature films. In 2001 Square Pictures produced Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within which, while being a box office disappointment, was remarkable for its use of CGI, creating some of the most realistic looking animated characters ever. In 2005 Square Enix and Sony Pictures released Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children a direct-to-DVD sequel to the most popular game in the series.

Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV is set for a digital release by Sony this summer, ahead of the announced September release for the Final Fantasy XV game. How does your excitement for this new movie compare to your interest in the game? Will you be viewing this before picking up you pre-order?

We’re just over a month away from Game of Thrones taking over our attention spans and conversations for the majority of the spring. And when it gets here, it will apparently usher in a new era of cringing over the too-close-for-comfort relationship between siblings Cersei and Jaime Lannister, which is apparently heading even further down the taboo highway. Here’s how star Lena Headey described it.

Not the kind of quote that raises eyebrows too high when one is considering 95% of all relationships on TV, but it definitely sparks a morbid interest when used to describe one where the defining element is a history of incest that led to the birth of three children, with one of those bastards being the worst person in history. That alone has already gone beyond merely weird, leaping off the charts completely and locking itself in a closet with all of the other Lannister skeletons.

One would think that Cersei would want to avoid anything resembling weird with Jaime after going through her walk of shame and hearing people screaming “brotherfucker” at her. Not the easiest insult to whimsically brush off. But she hasn’t seen him since he took off on a mission to rescue their daughter Myrcella, and she just went through one of the worst ordeals of her life, so any comfortable and blood-related port in a storm, I guess. Here’s the first look that HBO put out of the pair a while back.

Based on this image and her quote, I’m going to make the blind guess that the “weird” thing involves Jaime gluing his left hand to Cersei’s neck so that he’s unable to grasp anything for the rest of his life. It will probably not be related to that, but I wouldn’t be surprised if that idea sparked lots of totally deep conversations in the writers room.

Lena Headey, who adds to the recent Season 6 boasts by calling this season’s episodes “juicy” and “fucking dark,” also shared with EW a bit more about how Cersei’s story will go.

Is that position “all fours with her sweaty brother right behind her?” She’s probably talking more about where she is in life and how she’s going to get wild in her feuds, so watch out, Margaery. A reckless mother-in-law is never a good thing.

Game of Thrones Season 6 will premiere in a huge way on HBO on Sunday, April 24. Maybe watch it with members of your family that you have weird secrets with. Maybe don’t. It’s your life.

When it comes to HBO’s Game of Thrones, there are plenty of types of characters. Some are good, some are bad, and some are just plain mean. One of the meanest has to be Cersei Lannister. The five seasons that have aired so far have seen her change drastically in circumstance, but actress Lena Headey has only gotten better with time. She recently channeled her inner Cersei on Jimmy Kimmel Live to perform a few lines taken from The Bachelor. Check it out!

Lena Headey could not have dressed less like her character if she had tried, but the icy condescension of Cersei was as chilling coming out of an actress in jeans and a shirt as it ever was coming from a queen in a flowing gown. Many kudos to Lena Headey for pulling it off on the fly.

Of course, the goblet couldn’t have hurt her chances of getting into character. Appearing on a talk show in pants with short dark hair certainly wouldn’t have put anybody in the mood to channel a character from a medieval series, but the cup of wine that Cersei has come to favor for pretty much any occasion must have been a helpful prop.

The background music to the litany of Bachelor insults is no “Rains of Castamere,” and we can be pretty confident that composer Ramin Djawadi who created one of the most hummable theme songs in all of television had no hand in it, but Lena Headey’s deliveries were enough to send shivers down the spine. Who needs a creepy song about an entire family line being brutally extinguished when Cersei Lannister threatening to punch somebody in the face is an option?

The clip might not be as enjoyable as it is if we were not starved for new Game of Thrones material. The show has been off the air since its Season 5 finale back in June, and it won’t be returning to HBO for Season 6 until the end of April. For those of us who have already gotten our fill of rewatches and have even read the books for fixes of the world of Westeros, clips such as this are wonderful ways to soothe the sting of the wait.

It is nice to see Lena Headey looking significantly less miserable on Jimmy Kimmel Live than she did when last seen on Game of Thrones. Cersei is hardly the most sympathetic character of the show, but it was difficult not to feel for her during her naked walk of shame through the streets of King’s Landing. Seeing Lena Headey fully dressed with goblet in hand may help get us back in the mood to not feel bad for Cersei at all.

Game of Thrones won’t be back until April, but you can check out our list of midseason TV premiere dates to find some great shows to watch in the meantime.

Every year, the Golden Globes puts together a list of some of the biggest and best names in Hollywood who have completed TV or movie projects in the past year. Usually some nods are surprising in a good way, and some give us the opposite feeling in the pit of our stomachs. In a year that saw Lady Gaga actually earn a Golden Globes nod, there were a ton of shows, actors and actresses who were totally snubbed. You can check out our picks, below. And if you haven’t seen the full list of TV nominations, head here. (We also have movie nominations available).

Wacky Comedy Nods

Alright, I get there is star power in hour-longs like Jane the Virgin and—especially--Scream Queens, and I get that Veep and Silicon Valley are favorites in the Best Series (comedy) category, but a lot of awesome half-hour comedies are getting little love. Among these are cable’s Broad City, Inside Amy Schumer, Blunt Talk (although that Patrick Stewart nod is nice), You’re The Worst, Netflix streaming’s Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, and network TV’s The Grinder. And while we’re talking about constant snubs in comedy, can someone please tell me how The Goldbergs’ Wendi McLendon-Covey has never earned a nod for her portrayal of matriarch Beverly Goldberg on the ABC comedy? She’ so underrated.

No Love For Black Sails

After getting off to a rocky start, Black Sails had a phenomenal second season. Toby Stephens, in particular, deserves a nod for his part in Season 2, as his backstory was finally fleshed out in flashbacks. The writers capably created a plot that intertwined past and present, but kept all of the action and political finagling inherent to the drama series. Louise Barnes also deserves a mention, especially for her work in “XVII.” Pirate dramas have a rough go of it and Black Sails lacks the flashiness and trendiness of some of the shows that did earn nods, but it’s a compelling show, nonetheless, and its budget allows for one of the best-looking sets on TV. Maybe Blackbeard will help next season, but I’m not holding my breath.

Animation Shut Out Once Again

Alright, last week’s episode of The Simpsons was nothing special, but Rick and Morty, Bob’s Burgers and Archer all had a slew of fan-fucking-tastic episodes this year. I get that Scream Queens was amusing—although clearly not all that popular— and that J the V takes the telenovela format and cheekily winks at it, but let’s give animation a little love in the comedy nominations, even if it is already a crowded category.

The Lannisters Are Losing Their Edge

Peter Dinklage typically gets a nod at these sorts of ceremonies, and it wasn’t like Game of Thrones was edged out completely, as it earned a best drama nod. However, if this was a year for anyone, it was a year for Lena Headey. Headey had some of her toughest material yet as Cersei Lannister, sparring opposite Margaery on Game of Thrones in Season 5 and taking on the High Sparrow to boot. This led to an onscreen penance and a now-famous nude scene toward the end of Season 5 that cost a ton to shoot. Perhaps Headey would have been on here if she hadn't hired a body double for the stint.

Walton Goggins’ Final Justified Bow

While Raylan Givens was always getting out of tight situations in Elmore Leonard’s stories, Justified took Leonard’s main character and changed the story to fit a narrative of brotherhood and betrayal in the back woods of Kentucky. As much as we all enjoyed Timothy Olyphant, Nick Searcy and guest stints from Sam Elliott, Mary Steenburgen and Garret Dillahunt in Season 6, I think most of us can agree that Justified’s swan song was not its finest season. What it did feature was perfection from Walton Goggins, who over the course of six seasons took a bit character named Boyd Crowder and turned him into one of the most fascinating antagonists on TV. The villain rarely earns a nod, but this time around the committee got the supporting actor field really wrong. (As much as we love The Good Wife's Eli, there's totally room to breathe some new life into that field).

Spoilers if you didn’t catch Sunday’s episode of Game of Thrones. Everyone still here? Alright, let’s go.

During last night’s Season 5 finale, “Mother’s Mercy,” Cersei finally was forced into a position to deal with her demons. While the Queen Mother has spent a good chunk of the season in prison, during the finale she was given the opportunity to confess her sins to the High Sparrow. To atone for these sins, Cersei was then forced to walk naked in public through King’s Landing, ending her walk at the Red Keep. This weekend, some fans were surprised to learn actress Lena Headey actually employed a body double for the famous walk.

Game Of Thrones Season 6: What We Know So Far

If you wondered why last night’s sequence looked so strange, it’s because Headey elected not to show all for the small screen. The move might seem pretty odd to those who are familiar with Headey’s body of work. She most famously bared her chest in the movie 300, but the actress has also been nude in other movies like Aberdeen and Fair Game. So, why would she not go nude during this important Game of Thrones scene?

The answer could lie in the fact that Headey is currently pregnant with a baby girl. Headey would have already been pregnant when the famously expensive scene was shot last October, although she would not have been very far along. Still, I’m not certain I’d want to film a nude scene while pregnant and that may have stopped the actress, as well. As one of the leads on the series, Headey may have also worked in a no-nudity clause at some point. Early on we may have seen Emilia Clarke naked while playing Daenerys on Game of Thrones, but that hasn’t happened recently. The same might be true of Cersei, as well.

Game of Thrones: Jon Snow's Fate, According To Kit Harington (SPOILERS)

It’s a wonder the walk of shame segment even happened, at all. Back in August, the production encountered an obstacle while filming in Croatia. The crew got permission to film outside, but was unable to secure a permit to shoot at a church, which was the original plan. A few months and $200,000 later, the shoot happened, with a body double standing in for Lena Headey. While cell phones were reported to be confiscated, it’d be pretty weird to get naked around that many extras—especially extras who were licensed to call Headey’s character a “whore” and “brother fucker.” It doesn’t get more disconcerting than that.

Although Headey has filmed plenty of controversial scenes for the series, the nude walk wasn't one of them, or at least not as it was shown. She was on set and did facial reactions, but we know for sure she didn't get naked, as EW confirmed there was a body double. So, if you want to catch Headey nude, you’ll totally have to rent one of her other flicks. On the bright side, Game of Thrones has already been renewed for Season 6, which will hit the schedule in 2016.

Photo courtesy of Macall B. Polay/HBO

Game Of Thrones might feature a ton of sex and nudity on a regular basis, but on the whole, Lena Headey’s Cersei Lannister has mostly stayed above the fray. She’s wielded power in far different, far less overtly sexual ways, but on the upcoming season, fans will finally get to see the vindictive, villainous and weirdly enchanting mother strip down, at least if the Croatian authorities get their acts together.

The problem is one of permits and the local church. Game Of Thrones is currently shooting in Dubrovnik, Croatia. Producers have already gotten permission and the necessary permits to shoot everything they need, except for one scene that involves Cersei Lannister getting naked outside. The rest of the world might be dying to see that, but the local and extremely powerful Church Of St. Nicholas is apparently not so excited. According to TMZ, Church Officials told the film commission not to give out the permits, and the film commission listened.

As of right now, there’s reportedly no solution reached. Basically, there are four options. First, the Game Of Thrones people get as charming as possible and convince the local church that seeing Cersei’s boobs will bring so much happiness to people that it’s worth making an exception. Second, showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss could decide to give Cersei small, flesh-colored underwear and shoot from angles that would obscure the actual nudity. Third, they could spend a whole bunch of money flying everyone involved to a different, more nudity-friendly location that would allow the scene to be shot unedited. Or fourth, it could be completely cut from the new season.

To explain why certain choices are more likely than others, we’re gonna have to get into SPOILERS. So, if you don’t want to know anything more, please bail on this article immediately.

The scene in question is the big moment when Cersei finally gets her cummupance. She is forced to take a Penance Walk, completely naked, across King’s Landing. It’s one everyone involved has been planning for, and it’s one fans of the books have been especially pumped about. In fact, one of the reasons why Cersei has remained so clothed over the years is because actress Lena Headey wanted the Penance Walk to be that much more shocking.

As a result, cutting the scene completely seems completely out of the question. Given the show’s popularity, I would guess heading to another location would probably be the most likely option, but I suppose we’ll just have to wait and see. It’s unlikely other parts of Croatia would have different reactions to an American show wanting a naked woman to film outside.

We’ll keep you updated.

Cersei Lannister has a real way with words. The woman knows how to deliver a biting remark, and that's as much a credit to Game of Thrones' writing and source material as it is to Lena Headey's timing and line delivery. Everything from the accent to the facial expressions to the inflection combines for some truly great Cersei moments in the HBO series, and Jimmy Kimmel made good use of that when he had Lena Headey on Jimmy Kimmel Live.

As you can see in the video above, the two have decided to engage in a bit of verbal sparring over some goblets of wine, Game of Thrones-style. Their retorts grow increasingly more intense with each bit of banter. So let's break it down with some memes and see who won this Game of Words?

Headey kicks off the match by complimenting Kimmel's tie... before insulting and threatening him...

Jimmy Kimmel decides to play the incest card right away in response...

Unaffected by the jab about Cersei's sexual relationship with her brother Jaime, Headey responds once again by threatening Kimmel... after making light of his "fun" job as a late night talk show host...

Kimmel makes a living bringing laughter to our living rooms. And Cersei makes hers sucking the life out of every rooms he enters...

This is where the claws really start to come out though, as Headey compliments Kimmel's way with words, before pondering how clever he'd be without his tongue...

Kimmel plays the power card here, reminding Headey that she's a guest at House Kimmel, and she might not be invited back...

Lena Headey gets the last line in here and instead of using it to threaten Kimmel, she makes a bedroom joke...

I'm going to give this game to Lena Headey. Kimmel was funny, but Headey proves she's as bone-chillingly severe with words as her Game of Thrones character!

If you're a Game of Thrones fan, check out our recap for last Sunday night's finale here. And find out what we know so far about Season 5 Here.

Actors like Gerard Butler and Michael Fassbender won't be back playing Spartan warriors in the upcoming Noam Murro-directed 300 sequel Rise of an Empire, but it does have more than a few actor connections back to the original. The Persian God King Xerxes, once again played by Rodrigo Santoro, will be back as the central antagonist, as will Lena Headey's Queen Gorgo, the Spartan wife of King Leonidas. Both are expected to play important roles in the plot of the film, and enforcing that point is that the latter of the two characters is front and center on this new poster for the movie, found by Coming Soon.

The new movie is based on a script by Zack Snyder and Kurt Johnstad and tells the story of a battle fought parallel to the events at Thermopylae, as portrayed in the first film. The plot follows Greek General Themistocles (Sullivan Stapleton) as he faces down the Persian army at sea. On the other side of the split narrative, we discover the origins of the Persian leader Xerxes and are introduced to Artemisia (Eva Green), the commander of the Persian navy who has vengeance in her heart aimed directly at the Greeks. You can watch the fictional take on history come to life in the recently released trailer below:

Since appearing in the first 300 movie Heady has not strayed from genre work, both on the big and small screens. While she is likely best known to audiences these days thanks to her role as the evil Cersei Lannister on HBO's Game of Thrones, she also starred as Sarah Connor in the Terminator television series and had roles in movies like Dredd, The Purge and The Mortal Instruments: City Of Bones. She has definitely found a niche in the world of sci-fi and fantasy.

It's rare for character posters to be released alone, so stay tuned the rest of the week to see more from the film. Who will we see? You can probably bet on seeing Stapleton, Santoro and Green, but who else?

300: Rise of an Empire also stars Jack O'Connell, David Wenham, Callan Mulvey, Hans Matheson and Andrew Tiernan. Warner Bros. will have it in theaters on March 7th.

When James DeMonaco’s The Purge was announced, I’ll admit to being criminally skeptical that such a ridiculous plot could be pulled off with any amount of plausibility. A mostly crime-free America that holds an annual 12 hour free-for-all allowing all citizens’ bad deeds to go unpunished? Hogwash. But…potentially frightening hogwash nonetheless, as the above trailer, courtesy of Apple Trailers, proves.

Ethan Hawke, wife Lena Headey, and children Max Burkholder and Adelaide Kane are your average family living in a gigantic suburban house, quick to secure themselves inside once the yearly Purge crime spree begins. But of course, things don’t go according to plan, as the son allows an injured man (Edwin Hodge) into the house, only to find out he’s being targeted by a group of freaky mask wearing goons who threaten to kill the family if they don’t give the man up.

Considering the film is touted as being “From the producer of Paranormal Activity and Sinister,” there’s really no reason to think this film was going to be any more realistic. But Hawke was the force that anchored Sinister’s somewhat silly premise, there’s no reason to think he won’t do the same here.

It doesn’t take a stretch of the imagination to see that the film looks like a cross between David Fincher’s Panic Room, with shades of Bryan Bertino’s The Strangers in there, and even carries over some themes from another of DeMonaco’s films, his 2005 remake of John Carpenter’s Assualt on Precinct 13. This film would have probably failed miserably had the story’s scope branched out beyond this single location, but let’s hope such a limitation doesn’t drag the story down in the meantime. My main complaint in a film like this is usually shitty child actors, but Burkholder’s powerful work on NBC’s Parenthood and Kane’s work on the Australian drama Neighbors solidify their talents, so it looks like it will all come down to the film’s script, which DeMonaco also wrote.

Take to the streets on May 31, 2013 when the film comes out, but realize the crimes you commit will be held against you.

It’s Friday. It is so, so close to the weekend (it may even be the weekend where you are) that it is definitely time for some more light-hearted fare. To preface and to be fair, almost all fan-generated content -- revamped trailers, mash-ups, memes, infographics, whatever -- is garbage. It really shows you why some people get paid to do these artistic complements and why others are doing them at home, alone, in their parents' basements. However, if you are going to create fan-art, at least pick a show that everyone loves…better yet, pick two.

That’s exactly what The Smart Sandwich decided to do. Very much like our previously covered love for the Arrested Westeros website, it rubs us just the right way. The two shows in question are not at all similar, but that is what gives these poster mash-ups their charm. Despite the very different tones and subject matter, Parks and Recreation and Game of Thrones actually go together like pickles and gravy…wait. Peanut butter and jelly then. I love these two shows, and to make GoT "house banners" for the characters in P&R is simply genius and hilarious.

The artist behind these banners, posters, or whatever you want to call them included all of our favorite Pawneeans and came up with matching slogans for the houses. My favorite? A tie. Swanson’s eggs-and-bacon-themed look with the motto "Rectangle. America. Megaphone. Monday. Butthole." And the sleek and simple House Haverford’s DJ Roomba graphic with "Treat yo self" as his motto. They are all great. Here are four, and you can jump over to The Smart Sandwich to see the rest! Winter is coming to Pawnee.

Parks and Recreation airs Thursdays at 8:30 p.m. ET on NBC. It stars Amy Poehler, Nick Offerman, Aziz Ansari, Aubrey Plaza, Chris Pratt, Rashida Jones, Adam Scott, and Rob Lowe. Game of Thrones will return to HBO on evenings Sundays in April 2012. It stars (those who remain) Lena Headey, Emilia Clarke, Peter Dinklage, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, and Kit Harington (and many more). It is based on George R.R. Martin’s Song of Ice and Fire series and was adapted for television for D.B. Weiss and David Benioff.

In anticipation of the new season of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, series creator Josh Friedman and leading actress Lena Headey were kind enough to talk to the press about the upcoming season. If you haven’t seen the second season premiere yet, consider yourself spoiler-warned!

Below is the Q&A with Josh Friedman and Lena Headey:

[Regarding the liquid Terminator]: did you end up playing that a little bit sooner than you had ever hoped, having that character appear, and are we at a state in technology where it’s cost efficient for you to try it out on a regular basis?

Josh Did we try it out earlier than we wanted to? No. I mean, I think it’s exactly when we wanted to. It sort of was serendipitous. We were working on this character and wanted to introduce somebody who was more of an antagonist, and I didn’t want to do just the basic evil corporate type, so it was a natural progression, and it’s done. It’s expensive to do, but it’s not necessarily anymore expensive to do than an endoskeleton. I mean, morphing technology and GI is something that’s been kind of streamline, I think, in terms of cost over the years since it was first done. It’s still time consuming. It’s more just sort of, it’s just the art of it, just sort of getting it right in terms of the rates of change and kind of what it looks like and the texturing. We went back and forth quite a bit in this first episode because it was the first time that we’d done it.

Lena, you’re doing such a fantastic job on the show. I remember, in the beginning, you talked about having somewhere to go with the character, so could you talk about what the gradual progression Sarah is on this year will be?

Lena It’s been an interesting season. I feel that Sarah has taken a, kind of a backseat in terms of being proactive and taking care of business. I think that we’re going to see a lot more of John taking control and then becoming, making steps towards becoming the man he has to be to take on his tasks. And I think this season for Sarah is kind of her losing slight control over everything pretty much, and my feeling is that I think there’s a slow madness sort of happening in her because she feels that everything’s kind of out of reach right now.

How cool was that for you to play?

Lena: It’s calming. I mean, the stuff is calming, but will be more visceral I think, but it’s been strange coming from such a ferocious side of her to being, feeling very, like all control has gone from her.

They also revealed at Comic-Con that someone is going to die. Do you feel pretty safe because it is the Sarah Connor Chronicles?

Lena: I don’t know. You can never feel safe, to quote Sarah. I don’t take anything for granted.

What can you tell us about what’s coming up?

Josh: In terms of who dies?

What can you tell me about the death? Someone dies?

Josh: Well, I mean, you’ll know it when you see it. It’s certainly not, it’s not, you won’t have to ask about it. I definitely don’t count, I mean, I do think there’s obviously some stuff in the first episode kind of thematically about dying and resurrection and reorientation of all the relationships, but when the character dies, I think we’ll know.

And would you characterize Shirley’s character now as a nemesis? Are we allowed to call her evil at this point?

Josh: Oh, I think evil’s a bit strong. I don’t think of any of these characters as evil. I think that they’re very focused. They have a plan. It’s not personal, like there’s some evil back story where there’s revenge necessary. I think that there’s a plan that she has in place to try to grow the Turk, but it’s not necessarily that she’s, it’s like Jessica Rabbit.

Have we seen the last of John in high school? Because now it looks like they’re on the run from that entire life.

Josh: We’ve seen just about the last of John in high school. I think John and Sarah have either wisely chose homeschooling for John at this point. It doesn’t mean that we’ve seen the last of John interacting with people from his high school, but I think the days of seeing John sitting in class, yes, are pretty numbered.

And I’m wondering if you’re going to develop the story line … from last season of Sarah’s trying to deal with her cancer.

Josh: Lena?

Lena: I don’t know. It’s in your hands, Josh.

Josh: Well, you know, there is some of it. I mean, thematically, we definitely visit it again this year, and an early episode kind of brings it back up, and I think it’s sort of investigated. It’s sort of explored in a kind of oblique way in one of the early episodes. It’s definitely not something that we’ve forgotten about, but I also don’t think you’re going to see her in bed with chemo anytime soon.

Now, Lena, there’s a little bit of a love triangle seemingly brewing between your character and Reese and your former fiancé. I’m wondering if you have any thoughts on how you’d like to see that resolve.

Lena: Well, I think that Derek and Sarah’s relationship is more a little of already-divorced parents. I think the fact that he’s John’s uncle would be weird, seeing as his brother was the love of her life, so I don’t think there’s going to be any development there. I certainly wouldn’t want it. I think it would be far too obvious.

Josh: I completely agree with her, by the way. It’s not something that we’ve contemplated at all.

Lena: And as for Charley, who knows with Charley? I think that’s always an open door at the moment.

As of the finale last year, the FBI agent pretty much was thrown into this world where terminators really do exist and we see them in the pilot interacting a little with Cromartie. How is he going to get to hook up with Sarah and the rest of the troops, and what might that mean?

Josh: Well, you presume facts that aren’t in evidence. I don’t know that he’s necessarily going to hook up with them. I think that he is on a quest to kind of figure out, now that he knows for sure that they exist, I think he’s sort of determined to figure out why he’s a part of this arrangement. I think that Comartie’s particular suggestions to him indicate that, and the fact that he’s been left alive indicates that he may have a larger part of the plan, so I think you’re going to see Ellison kind of trying to figure out what his part in the larger puzzle is.

Josh, I want to return to something you said a little bit earlier about the issues of faith and face, which have always sort of run through this franchise, but I feel like, in the last couple episodes of last season and particularly in this season’s premiere, they’re articulated, I guess, a little bit more concretely, particularly with the taking of, you know, with the church in this episode. Could you talk about going in that direction and bringing the religious aspects to the forefront?

Josh: Yes. I think you hit it on the head. It’s something that’s always been in the franchise. I think that Sarah as a very, very radicalized Mary figure and John as sort of a Jesus figure has always been in the franchise, and it’s stuff that, thematically, is interesting to explore. And I’ve kind of become fascinated with it through the Ellison character, and part of it was just because Richard T. Jones is quite religious and I’d spent some time talking to him about it, and I figure it seemed like a really natural place to sort of explore some of those themes. And especially with him, regarding whether or not his faith is either confirmed or challenged by, you know, with the things he’s seen. I think it’s easy to assume, oh, because there are terminators in the universe that that means that God doesn’t exist or something, but I don’t think that that’s necessarily true. So it’s interesting just to see people with particular ideologies have to try to fit radical world views into it.

And going back to something else that was discussed earlier, you have one character who obviously is supposed to eventually be the salvation of mankind, which makes him obviously pretty central. But that being said, the show is called The Sarah Connor Chronicles. What’s the balance you have to be walking at all times, sort of remembering what the name of the show is and who the star is, but also looking to the future?

Josh: Well, it’s challenging. I think that it’s very doable. The Sarah/John relationship is the central, I would say that it’s the central relationship in the show, and I think that, at different times, there can be different shifts in terms of the power dynamic or the proactivity. Lena talks a little bit about her character taking a back seat to John. I think that it’s a parent/child struggle, and I think that, as a parent, I’ve kind of, well, my child was a lot younger, but kind of watching the push and pull of that dynamic, to me, is fascinating. So I sort of look at them as a pair. Ultimately, yes, it’s called The Sarah Connor Chronicles and it’s about how does this parent of this special child deal with that, and it’s challenging. I think it’s challenging for any parent, and it’s challenging for this particular parent because of who he’s supposed to be, but I don’t believe that she ever has to stop being Sarah Connor. I think it’s just the challenge is kind of figuring out who that is on a daily basis.

You talked about how the finale of last season was a different finale than you had originally intended because of the strike. Could you talk about how that affected your decisions in restarting the series at the start of this season in the premiere?

Josh: Well, I think now, for people who have seen the first episode, you can see that I certainly, I was very interested in the aftermath of that episode, and last year, we would have done a version of this episode, but I had a whole different concept and one that I couldn’t really do for a season premiere, but it was certainly about the aftermath of the truck explosion. And I think that we really have stayed on track … goals of the show, storytelling-wise, but episodically, things have changed pretty radically from last year.

It seems like almost every question that could be asked about this upcoming season’s been asked in Comic-Con or TCA or everywhere else, but I’m just curious because I know the one thing that had been teased about is this upcoming death. And Josh, I’m just kind of curious, is this something that kind of comes about in the terms of storytelling where you feel that it’s time to have a death like this, or is this kind of more economically driven or things outside of the storyline? What actually brings you to the point of saying, “Well, it’s time to axe one of these guys?”

Josh: It’s usually their behavior on the set. No, it’s pure storytelling. It’s painful to say good-bye to actors. It’s painful, especially this show. Everyone’s wonderful and they’re all lovely people, and going to an actor and saying, “Here’s the script and this is what’s going to happen,” is extremely difficult, and it’s never driven, at least so far, for us, it’s never been driven by economics or anything extracurricular. It’s … writer’s room and you’re, all of a sudden you’re having this dawning realization that you have a really good idea for something story-wise, but it’s going to end up costing somebody a job. And it’s not easy. These are people, and most of them will, they’ll go on and get other work, but it’s not a fun thing to do really.

And does the actor know yet?

Josh: Yes.

I feel like there’s a lot of anger in your portrayal of Sarah Connor, and I was wondering if you could talk about that and whether she’s kind of partly angry at John because he’s the reason she can’t have a normal life.

Lena: Yes, I think there’s some truth in that. I think that Sarah’s pretty complex. You take a normal girl who’s suddenly, thanks to this conversation, gives birth to Jesus, and was in love, I think was truly in love with this man and he dies and leaves her with this legacy. And I absolutely think that her anger is partly at her son and her situation, obviously. And I think that’s what it is, her frustration in dealing with that as she can’t really throw down with her son. But I think there’s a rooted anger also with everybody that comes to advise her and say she should do this and look at it this way, and I think she would love to say, “… you all,” and she can’t for various reasons. So yes, I think you’re right. I think it’s in the mix. Well, I know it’s in there somewhere.

I wanted to ask, you have some really great action and special effects on the show. Can you talk about finding the balance between that and keeping the humanity going?

Josh: At this point, it’s sort of become an organic thing for us. I think we sort of have a sense of how much action to have in any given episode. It does shift sometimes. Sometimes you, in terms of the realities of production, you don’t have the time or money to do big things all the time in every episode, which I’m happy for. I kind of like it when they say, the money people come to us and say, “You know what? This episode’s going to have to be a little smaller than the last episode.” I kind of enjoy writing smaller, more character-driven episodes, and I think that, at the end of the day, well, I mean, I think there’s sort of three audiences, I think, for the show.

There’s the people who really come for the action, there’s people who really come for the characters, and then there’s the large Venn diagram in the middle, which is the people who want both. And I think those are the ones that ultimately, I think, are the most pleased consistently because they’ll get one or the other during the week. To me, it’s a drama. It’s still a family show, a family drama that is in the science fiction world and has action in it, but it’s still, I think, character first for me.

Josh, I was just curious; everybody’s talking about the death. I’m wondering about Shirley Manson. What was the decision behind getting her on board? Because this is her first acting job, right? What was the casting decision to bring her on?

Josh: I’ve known Shirley, I’ve known her well for a couple of years, and I’ve known her off and on for many years. She’s a friend of my wife’s. Personally, I’ve always enjoyed her, and I’ve known her as a performer, and last year, when we were doing the show last year, whenever I’d see her, I used to joke with her about coming on the show to do one episode or something like that because she never acted. And we’re like, “You know, you should come, do one thing, come be a scary terminator for an episode or do something like that,” and she always said, “Yeah, yeah, yeah, you’re never going to do that.”

And then this year, when we started casting, I actually wasn’t thinking about her for this part. We’d just started casting this part, and then somewhere about a week into casting, I thought I want to bring Shirley in and see if she’s up for it, see if she wants to do it, and she was actually in Europe, I think, for a funeral. And I e-mailed her and said, “Do you want to come in and audition?” She said, “Well, yes, I’m coming back in town on Sunday.” I said, “Well, we need you in on Monday,” and she came and she did it, and she’s just got an incredible charisma.

And also, she’s just very professional. She’s always prepared, and her learning curve in terms of the craft part of it has been very high so far, so I don’t know. It sort of just happened organically, but she also had to go through the entire audition process just like any other actor. She was given no extra points for being Shirley Manson. I think, in some ways, she was given minus points by people who thought maybe she couldn’t do it.

why was the choice made to add the Derek Reese character as a series regular because he really worked out well, and I was wondering what gave you the idea to bring him on every week this year.

Josh: Well, people really liked him and we really liked him. I think he added, he adds something to that dynamic. I think that John’s always been looking for father figures, and I think it’s interesting to have one around who is a blood relative, but his back story is complicated. I like the fact that Derek represents the human face of the future war and kind of the cost, so he’s sort of like a, to the extent that he’s sort of this damaged war vet who is in the scenes. You always have a sense of the stakes of what they’re fighting and what you don’t want to see someone become, which is Derek. And he was out doing lots of auditions, so we thought we’d lock him up so that no one else could take him.

I think one of the big points in season one was seeing the future and definitely, in “Dungeons & Dragons,” Derek having the flashbacks or the flash forwards really brought the episode together. Is that something that we’re going to see more of in season two and how will that take place?

Josh: Yes. We will, and I think it takes place sort of the same way a lot of times that it does in “Dungeons & Dragons.” I think, for me, what works about “Dungeons & Dragons” is that the future stuff really informs the things that are going on in the present, and you end up, to me, when I watch that episode, I see an amazing emotional storyline with Sarah and with Charley and with John. And I think combining those two and playing those two worlds off against each other is something that I think works very well for us, and so I think we’re going to see it in certain flashes this year, but it should always, and we try to always keep it informing of the emotional back story of the show, it doesn’t just become just pure eye candy, despite the joyousness of that.

So now that Brian Austin Green is on as a series regular, has there been any talks to try to get Michael Biehn in as a guest spot as his father?

Josh: Do you know they’re friends? Brian and Michael Biehn are friends. I don’t know if you’re asking seriously or not. I’m really kind of anti bringing in people from The Terminator movies in guest spots. I kind of feel like we’ve worked really hard to try to make the reality of this show with these actors be our universe, and I think it would be weird.

So are there any guest spots you can tell us that are coming up for this season?

Josh: Busy Phillipps from Freaks and Geeks and White Chicks and Dawson’s Creek is going to come on for a few episodes. Most of the guest stars die when they come on. I don’t know. I can’t really say.