Lena Headey facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lena Headey
Headey in 2019
Born	Lena Kathren Headey (1973-10-03) 3 October 1973 (age 51) Hamilton, Bermuda
Nationality	British
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1992–present
Spouse(s)	Peter Loughran ​ ​ (m. 2007; div. 2013)​ Marc Menchaca ​ (m. 2022)​
Children	2

Lena Kathren Headey (born 3 October 1973) is a talented English actress. She is best known for playing Cersei Lannister in the popular TV show Game of Thrones (2011–2019). For this role, she was nominated for many awards, including five Primetime Emmy Awards. She also played Queen Gorgo in the movie 300 (2006).

Lena Headey started her acting career in 1992 with the film The Clothes in the Wardrobe. She has appeared in many British and American films and TV shows. Some of her other well-known movies include The Brothers Grimm (2005), Dredd (2012), and The Purge (2013).

On television, she starred as Sarah Connor in Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (2008–2009). She has also lent her voice to animated shows like Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Infinity Train. She has also voiced characters in video games and other animated series.

Early Life and First Steps in Acting

Lena Kathren Headey was born in Hamilton, Bermuda, on 3 October 1973. Her parents, Sue and John Headey, were English. Her father was a police officer. Lena has a younger brother named Tim. When she was five, her family moved back to England and settled in Somerset.

As a child, Lena took ballet lessons. She first tried acting while she was a student at Shelley College. At age 17, she was performing in a school play at the Royal National Theatre. A casting agent saw her and asked her to audition for a role. This led to her first film part in Waterland (1992).

Career Highlights

Starting Out (1992–2004)

After her first role in Waterland, Lena Headey continued to get acting jobs. She had a small part in the highly praised film The Remains of the Day (1993). She also appeared in the popular TV show Soldier Soldier.

In 1994, she played Kitty Brydon in Disney's The Jungle Book. Critics liked the film, and it did well at the box office. She then appeared in the romantic drama Mrs Dalloway (1997). In 1999, she starred in Onegin, a movie based on a famous Russian novel.

In 2000, Lena Headey won an award for Best Actress at the Brussels European Film Festival for her role in the film Aberdeen. She also appeared in the psychological drama Gossip. In 2001, she played a police officer in the comedy The Parole Officer.

She continued to take on diverse roles. In 2002, she was in the mystery drama Possession and the thriller Ripley's Game. Critics praised her strong performance in Ripley's Game. In 2003, she appeared in the comedy The Actors.

Becoming Well-Known (2005–2010)

Lena Headey became much more widely known when she starred in The Brothers Grimm (2005). She played Angelika, a brave woodsman's daughter. She liked that her character was a "tomboy" who was very connected to nature. The film earned over US$105 million worldwide.

In 2005, she also appeared in the horror film The Cave, which was a box office success. She also starred in the romantic comedy Imagine Me & You. Critics found her performance charming and appealing.

Headey at the 2007 Scream Awards

One of her most famous film roles came in 2007 when she played Queen Gorgo in the epic war film 300. This movie was based on a comic book series about the Battle of Thermopylae. Her character had a bigger role in the film than in the comic. 300 was a huge success, making over US$450 million.

From 2008 to 2009, Lena Headey starred as Sarah Connor in the TV series Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. Critics praised her tough yet sensitive portrayal of Sarah. She was nominated for the Saturn Award for Best Actress on Television twice for this role. She also appeared in several other films during this period, including The Red Baron and The Broken.

In 2009, she voiced characters like Black Widow and Mystique in an episode of the The Super Hero Squad Show.

Major Success (2011–Present)

In April 2011, Lena Headey began playing the powerful queen Cersei Lannister in the HBO series Game of Thrones. Her friend and co-star, Peter Dinklage, suggested her for the role. Her performance as the fierce queen received huge praise from critics. She earned many nominations, including five Primetime Emmy Award nominations.

Headey in 2017

In 2013, Headey starred in the horror film The Purge, which was a big hit at the box office. She also played Jocelyn Fray in The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones.

Following the success of 300, she returned as Queen Gorgo in 300: Rise of an Empire in 2014. This sequel also did very well, earning over US$337 million worldwide. In 2015, she starred in the thriller Zipper.

In 2016, Lena Headey appeared in the action comedy Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. In 2017, she was in the crime thriller Thumper and voiced Morgana in Trollhunters.

In 2022, Lena Headey announced she would direct her first feature film, a thriller called Violet.

Helping Others

Lena Headey supports the LGBT rights organization NOH8. She has also worked with the International Rescue Committee (IRC), helping migrants in Greece. She believes it's important to "fight for the good" in the world.

In 2018, she provided a voice-over for an advertisement for Alzheimer's Research UK, a charity that helps people with Alzheimer's disease.

Personal Life

Headey in 2007

Lena Headey married musician Peter Loughran in 2007. Their son was born in 2010. She faced challenges after his birth. They separated in 2011 and divorced in 2013. In 2015, she had a daughter with filmmaker Dan Cadan. They later separated. In October 2022, Lena Headey married American actor Marc Menchaca.

Filmography

Lena Headey has acted in over 50 films. Some of her most successful films include The Remains of the Day (1993), The Jungle Book (1994), Aberdeen (2000), Ripley's Game (2002), The Brothers Grimm (2005), 300 (2007), Dredd (2012), The Purge (2013), 300: Rise of an Empire (2014), and Fighting with My Family (2019). Her most notable television roles include Band of Gold (1996–1997), Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (2008–2009), and Game of Thrones (2011–2019).

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Lena Headey para niños