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Lena Headey says shooting Septa Unella's 'waterboarding' scene in 'Game of Thrones' was a 's--- time'

Jun 24, 2021, 20:59 IST
Insider
Septa Unella death scene in "Game of Thrones." HBO
  • Headey, who played Cersei Lannister, told Insider shooting that scene was a "really tough day."
  • "Hannah was a trooper," she said. "That was a long day of prune juice in your face."
  • Headey said at one point she stopped aiming for the actor's mouth when pouring the wine.
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In May, actress Hannah Waddingham opened up to Collider about the death scene of her "Game of Thrones" character Septa Unella, which involved a 10-hour shoot where she was strapped to a table and a jug of wine was poured into her mouth by Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey).

"Other than childbirth, it was the worst day of my life," Waddingham said of shooting the scene, claiming that she was really getting a "waterboarding."

Now Cersei herself, Lena Headey, explains what it was like to be on the other end of that scene.

"She had a really s--t time doing that scene," Headey told Insider while doing press for her upcoming Netflix movie "Gunpowder Milkshake," unaware Waddingham had spoken out about the scene. "I adore Hannah, she's one of my favorite humans."

Headey chalks up shooting that specific scene to the need of the production to be "authentic," but admits it was a "really, really tough day. "

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"People have different limits," she said. "People will go to different places. And some people will be like, 'I don't want to f---ing put myself in that position.' I totally respect whatever your boundaries are, but Hannah was a trooper. That was a long day of prune juice in your face."

Hannah Waddingham as Septa Unella in "Game of Thrones." HBO and Apple TV+

The scene, which originally had Septa being raped before producers changed it to waterboarding, takes place in the finale of season six. After Cersei blows up the Sept of Baelor, she takes her revenge on Septa Unella, the woman who had helped the High Sparrow torment her in season five. Most memorably, Unella walked behind Cersei during her "walk of atonement" while yelling "Shame!" and ringing a bell.

Strapped to a table in a dungeon, the scene shows Unella having wine poured repeatedly over her face by Cersei. Cersei then leaves the room and allows "The Mountain" to be alone with Unella. We hear Unella scream as the door closes and the scene ends.

Waddingham, who now stars on the Apple TV+ hit series "Ted Lasso," told Collider the result of the experience has made her claustrophobic around water.

"I actually went and had a bit of a chat to somebody about it," Waddingham said. "Because it's quite full-on being waterboarded for ten hours and then only one minute and 30 seconds can be used on camera."

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Headey admitted to Insider that at a certain point while shooting the scene she purposely stopped aiming towards Waddingham's mouth when she poured the wine.

"I was like, I'm just going to do a light salad dressing drizzle around her nuns wimple," she said.

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