Cersei Lannister endured a naked walk of shame at the end of "Game of Thrones" Season 5, but actress Lena Headey worked with a body double, Rebecca Van Cleave. In a new interview with Entertainment Weekly, promoting the April 24 premiere of Season 6, Headey said she got some very positive reactions to the scene; however, "some people thought I was less of an actress because I didn't get my tits out." (EW linked to a story in the U.K. Telegraph sharing fan complaints about Headey's use of a body double.)

Headey told EW "it was really a bit shocking" to get that reaction from some viewers, and she explained why she made her choice:

"I've done nudity. I'm not adverse to it. But I know I'm a very emotional actor and I get really driven by that. In order to do my job, I allow myself to be really vulnerable. I don't know any other way to do my job. Things really affect me. And the thought of being naked for three days and trying to contain her in the way she would be I think I would feel very angry. I didn't want to be angry. I don't think Cersei would be angry. I did what I thought she would do, emotionally. And wonderful Rebecca was able to contain herself and be naked. She found it very difficult, obviously. It's not a natural thing to do. I film every year and I have kids and they know me now and [being naked in the scene] was just too much on top of that. So yeah, people that get it thought it was great. I didn't phone it in; I was actually there for three days with Rebecca."

Headey also emphasized that she was not involved in casting Rebecca as her double. At least one viewer complained that the book version of Cersei had sagging and stretch marks, which TV Cersei lacked.

"Like I demanded to have a hot body. In reality, I said, 'If somebody will do this, I'll have no choice about it. Whatever you decide.' I had no judgment in that or desire to be involved. I just want to clear that up. Because as a woman, that drives me mad; the thought I'm like, "Nope! Nope!" [and dismissing nude women] in a room. I genuinely wouldn't. Because none of it is about vanity for me — none of it — otherwise I couldn't do it. It would be a hindrance."

Read the full interview for more from her. She shouldn't have to defend using a double, most actors don't even acknowledge them. And GoT has so much female nudity vs. male, the last thing we need is a woman being shamed for not showing more of her naked body.

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