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Lena Headey, who's perhaps best known for playing Cersei Lannister on Game of Thrones, is kicking serious ass on the small screen these days. But in a recent interview, she shared that she used to struggle to land acting jobs. Why? Headey refused to flirt with casting directors while auditioning for roles, and she said this kept her from getting some of the work she wanted.
"I've never played the game of going in[to auditions] and flirting. I've never done it, and I'm very happy I didn't" Headey told Net-a-Porter's The Edit. Headey explained that when she was in her 20s, she went to a lot of auditions in the United States. There, a casting director reportedly told her that many casting agents take audition tapes home, watch them, and make lewd comments about the actresses in them.
Headey said she's faced other forms of discrimination as well. When she voices ideas, for example, they go unheard. But when a man says the same thing—boom, widespread agreement. "Male counterparts can say the same thing [I just did] and everyone’s, like, 'Oh, that’s a great idea,'" she said. "And I’m like, 'I just said that 19 times, but you chose not to listen or take it on board.'"
But the actress said she's much "happier" now that she's in her 40s. "[I'm] playing women who aren’t expected to be beautiful," she said. "That pressure has gone for me. [Male] actors can be 'interesting,' but there’s a real pressure on women to be beautiful and skinny."
These sexist incidents are anything but new. Just this past month, Alison Brie, Emmy Rossum, and Emily Ratajkowski have all been vocal about the discrimination they've faced during the casting process. Headey's not the only one who feels like her appearance has hindered her ability to get work—and she's definitely not the only one feeling fed up with this absurdity, either.
Related:
- The Complicated Politics of Sansa Stark's 'Game of Thrones' Rape Scene
- Lena Headey: "Anxiety Is a Beast. You Have to Talk to Beasts."
- Let's All Marvel At Maisie Williams’ And Sophie Turner’s ‘Game Of Thrones’ Audition Tapes
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