Lena Kathren Headey (/ˈliːnə ˈhiːdi/ LEE-nə HEE-dee; born 3 October 1973) is an English actress. She is best known for her portrayal of Cersei Lannister on the HBO drama series Game of Thrones (2011–2019), for which she has received five Primetime Emmy Award nominations and a Golden Globe nomination.