Meet the actress who played Lena Headey's body double on 'Game of Thrones'
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Rebecca Van Cleave appeared in one of the most infamous scenes in this season of "Game of Thrones," but you've probably never heard of her.
The actress was Lena Headey's nude body double in the scene where Headey's character, Cersei Lannister, does the "walk of shame" through town in her birthday suit.
"It was one of the scariest, most wonderful, most gratifying experiences I could have imagined," Van Cleave told Entertainment Weekly. "I never in a million years would have thought I would be in Dubrovnik surrounded by hundreds of extras and crew members throwing food at me, but it was amazing."
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Headey donned a beige shift during the filming and after, Van Cleave would walk the same path but completely nude. CGI was used to combine the two shots, putting Headey's head on Van Cleave's body.
Van Cleave said Headey helped her through the filming process.
"Lena was so good about walking beside me and guiding me into what Cersei was thinking and the movements," Van Cleave told the mag. "We were playing tag team—‘You're it!'—and trying to make light of the fact we're all covered in everything and going through this together...The first time I took off the robe there was all this anticipation building up to it. But it's such an emotional experience for Cersei, you almost check out of the fact that you're nude. You're so in touch with the scene and what you're going for."
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The body double said there were moments that were difficult over the three days of filming the six-minute long scene.
"Particularly moments when I got all kinds of stuff thrown at me, with the chamber pots [being dumped out]," Van Cleave says. "Then on the last day, there was a well of emotion when she's finally getting to the end and I was getting to the end too—not in a bad way, it's almost like being one with the character."
What did Van Cleave think of the final product when the episode aired?
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"It was very surreal and emotional, to be honest," Van Cleave said. "I had a good little cry afterward...It's definitely the hardest thing I've ever done, but also the best experience of my life. And I hope the next thing I do will have my head in it!"
Van Cleave might have been happy with the way the scene turned out, but many viewers were quick to point out how obvious the editing was.