Lena Headey revisits Harvey Weinstein allegations in candid interview

Lena Headey has delivered a powerful attack on Hollywood's past culture of protecting predatory men.

The 52-year-old actress admitted that it still makes her "very angry" when she thinks about the imbalance of power young actresses once faced.

The Game of Thrones star revisited her own experiences while promoting her new BBC Radio 4 drama Intimacy, which explores abuse of power on a film set. 

Looking back on the industry before the #MeToo movement, Lena said vulnerable women were often left feeling they had little choice but to tolerate inappropriate behaviour in order to keep working.

She said powerful figures were allowed to get away with misconduct while aspiring actresses simply wanted to earn a living. 

Although she believes the industry has improved since #MeToo erupted in 2017, Lena admitted there is still work to be done.

The Abandons actress previously accused disgraced former producer Harvey Weinstein of sexual harassment, alleging he made suggestive remarks during the promotion of The Brothers Grimm before later inviting her to his hotel under the guise of discussing work. 

Recalling the encounter, she said she instinctively warned him that nothing beyond business would happen, describing how her "whole body went into high alert".

Reflecting on the start of her career, Lena revealed she once accepted intimate scenes without questioning whether she felt safe, only realising later how uncomfortable those experiences had been.

By the time she landed the role of Cersei Lannister in Game of Thrones, however, she felt confident enough to set firm boundaries. 

She also defended her decision to use a body double, enhanced with CGI, for the show's infamous "walk of shame" sequence, saying the emotional demands of the scene were more important than exposing herself on screen.

The Dredd star added that today's younger actresses are far more confident about refusing situations that make them uncomfortable.

She described the shift as one of the biggest positive changes to come from the #MeToo era.

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