Photo: Cindy Ord/WireImageUnless you live Beyond the Wall, you’ve probably heard ofGame of Thrones.The fantasy show amassed160 Emmy nominationsand became HBO’s most-watched series ever. When the series wrapped in May 2019 after eight seasons, 19.3 million people tuned in.“Throneswas such a surprise,” starLena Headey, who played Cersei Lannister, tells PEOPLE in this week’s issue. “But there was no part of me that went, ‘Oh, it’s done now. Life’s going to be easy.’ It opened doors, it made certain things easier. It also made things feel harder because you think, ‘What do I do?'“Headey, 49, has done plenty in the years sinceThronesended. She currently stars in another HBO series,White House Plumbers, about the Watergate scandal.“I didn’t know anything about it — big fat zero,” admits Headey, who grew up in the U.K.Playing Dorothy Hunt, the wife of Watergate ringleader and former CIA operative E. Howard Hunt (Woody Harrelson), in the limited series about the ’70s political controversy didn’t help much.“I still don’t, if you were to quiz me,” Headey says of whether she learned anything while making the show. “What I do know is that to get to create this duo with Woody, this sort of portrait of a s—y marriage, was fun.“HBOIn addition toPlumbers, Headey will star in the upcoming Netflix westernThe Abandons, lend her voice to sci-fi animation seriesNew-Genand direct her first feature filmThe Trap,based on her short film of the same name.“I loved every second of it,” the Bermuda-born actress says of directing. “I hope I get to do more of it because it’s my very happy place.“RELATED VIDEO: Nathalie Emmanuel CallsGame of ThronesOne of the ‘Greatest Experiences’ of Her LifeHeadey has also been enjoying the newlywed phase with her husband,Ozarkactor Marc Menchaca, who shequietly married in October.The five-time Emmy nominee filed for divorce in 2012 and called off another engagement years later, so she never expected to get married again. Headey says she changed her mind because she “met someone who’s pretty f—ing great” in Menchaca, 47.Heady co-parents son Wiley, 13, and daughter Teddy, 7, with her exes, which she calls “an endless journey of learning.““Co-parentingis all for your children,” she explains. “You just have to keep moving forward. It’s remembering you want your kids to be proud of your decisions and to understand them. But thankfully, my kids are pretty rad and I love hanging out with them.“Headey says she and her children “don’t really talk about” her career, but they’ve caught on a bit.“If someone says, ‘Oh, you’re inGame of Thrones’, my youngest now says things like, ‘What isGame of Thrones?'” Headey says. “In fact, the other day she went, ‘My mommy is in…’ And I was like, ‘You don’t tell people!'“HBONever miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Despite theshow’s controversial ending, Headey says fans have affection for Cersei.“I just get love,” she says. “It’s weird when you’re on holiday with your kids and you’re in the midst of a sandcastle and someone’s like, ‘Hey!’ And you’re like, ‘Have you seen me?’ Those moments still happen, which are bizarre, but people are generally lovely.“After years of wearing regal gowns and armor, Headey hopes to play a more laidback character. “If someone was like, ‘You get to wear a big sack and order GrubHub,’ I’d be like, ‘Sign me up!'” Headey says.She also has a plan B if for some reason her Hollywood reign ends.“I’m investigating beekeeping,” the mother of two says. “I never went to college, so I cannot actually do anything. My fantasy is keeping bees and making skateboards.“For more on Lena Headey, pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday, or subscribehere.White House Plumbersairs Mondays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO.
Photo: Cindy Ord/WireImage
Unless you live Beyond the Wall, you’ve probably heard ofGame of Thrones.The fantasy show amassed160 Emmy nominationsand became HBO’s most-watched series ever. When the series wrapped in May 2019 after eight seasons, 19.3 million people tuned in.“Throneswas such a surprise,” starLena Headey, who played Cersei Lannister, tells PEOPLE in this week’s issue. “But there was no part of me that went, ‘Oh, it’s done now. Life’s going to be easy.’ It opened doors, it made certain things easier. It also made things feel harder because you think, ‘What do I do?'“Headey, 49, has done plenty in the years sinceThronesended. She currently stars in another HBO series,White House Plumbers, about the Watergate scandal.“I didn’t know anything about it — big fat zero,” admits Headey, who grew up in the U.K.Playing Dorothy Hunt, the wife of Watergate ringleader and former CIA operative E. Howard Hunt (Woody Harrelson), in the limited series about the ’70s political controversy didn’t help much.“I still don’t, if you were to quiz me,” Headey says of whether she learned anything while making the show. “What I do know is that to get to create this duo with Woody, this sort of portrait of a s—y marriage, was fun.“HBOIn addition toPlumbers, Headey will star in the upcoming Netflix westernThe Abandons, lend her voice to sci-fi animation seriesNew-Genand direct her first feature filmThe Trap,based on her short film of the same name.“I loved every second of it,” the Bermuda-born actress says of directing. “I hope I get to do more of it because it’s my very happy place.“RELATED VIDEO: Nathalie Emmanuel CallsGame of ThronesOne of the ‘Greatest Experiences’ of Her LifeHeadey has also been enjoying the newlywed phase with her husband,Ozarkactor Marc Menchaca, who shequietly married in October.The five-time Emmy nominee filed for divorce in 2012 and called off another engagement years later, so she never expected to get married again. Headey says she changed her mind because she “met someone who’s pretty f—ing great” in Menchaca, 47.Heady co-parents son Wiley, 13, and daughter Teddy, 7, with her exes, which she calls “an endless journey of learning.““Co-parentingis all for your children,” she explains. “You just have to keep moving forward. It’s remembering you want your kids to be proud of your decisions and to understand them. But thankfully, my kids are pretty rad and I love hanging out with them.“Headey says she and her children “don’t really talk about” her career, but they’ve caught on a bit.“If someone says, ‘Oh, you’re inGame of Thrones’, my youngest now says things like, ‘What isGame of Thrones?'” Headey says. “In fact, the other day she went, ‘My mommy is in…’ And I was like, ‘You don’t tell people!'“HBONever miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Despite theshow’s controversial ending, Headey says fans have affection for Cersei.“I just get love,” she says. “It’s weird when you’re on holiday with your kids and you’re in the midst of a sandcastle and someone’s like, ‘Hey!’ And you’re like, ‘Have you seen me?’ Those moments still happen, which are bizarre, but people are generally lovely.“After years of wearing regal gowns and armor, Headey hopes to play a more laidback character. “If someone was like, ‘You get to wear a big sack and order GrubHub,’ I’d be like, ‘Sign me up!'” Headey says.She also has a plan B if for some reason her Hollywood reign ends.“I’m investigating beekeeping,” the mother of two says. “I never went to college, so I cannot actually do anything. My fantasy is keeping bees and making skateboards.“For more on Lena Headey, pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday, or subscribehere.White House Plumbersairs Mondays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO.
Unless you live Beyond the Wall, you’ve probably heard ofGame of Thrones.
The fantasy show amassed160 Emmy nominationsand became HBO’s most-watched series ever. When the series wrapped in May 2019 after eight seasons, 19.3 million people tuned in.
“Throneswas such a surprise,” starLena Headey, who played Cersei Lannister, tells PEOPLE in this week’s issue. “But there was no part of me that went, ‘Oh, it’s done now. Life’s going to be easy.’ It opened doors, it made certain things easier. It also made things feel harder because you think, ‘What do I do?'”
Headey, 49, has done plenty in the years sinceThronesended. She currently stars in another HBO series,White House Plumbers, about the Watergate scandal.
“I didn’t know anything about it — big fat zero,” admits Headey, who grew up in the U.K.
Playing Dorothy Hunt, the wife of Watergate ringleader and former CIA operative E. Howard Hunt (Woody Harrelson), in the limited series about the ’70s political controversy didn’t help much.
“I still don’t, if you were to quiz me,” Headey says of whether she learned anything while making the show. “What I do know is that to get to create this duo with Woody, this sort of portrait of a s—y marriage, was fun.”
HBO
In addition toPlumbers, Headey will star in the upcoming Netflix westernThe Abandons, lend her voice to sci-fi animation seriesNew-Genand direct her first feature filmThe Trap,based on her short film of the same name.
“I loved every second of it,” the Bermuda-born actress says of directing. “I hope I get to do more of it because it’s my very happy place.”
RELATED VIDEO: Nathalie Emmanuel CallsGame of ThronesOne of the ‘Greatest Experiences’ of Her Life
Headey has also been enjoying the newlywed phase with her husband,Ozarkactor Marc Menchaca, who shequietly married in October.
The five-time Emmy nominee filed for divorce in 2012 and called off another engagement years later, so she never expected to get married again. Headey says she changed her mind because she “met someone who’s pretty f—ing great” in Menchaca, 47.
Heady co-parents son Wiley, 13, and daughter Teddy, 7, with her exes, which she calls “an endless journey of learning.”
“Co-parentingis all for your children,” she explains. “You just have to keep moving forward. It’s remembering you want your kids to be proud of your decisions and to understand them. But thankfully, my kids are pretty rad and I love hanging out with them.”
Headey says she and her children “don’t really talk about” her career, but they’ve caught on a bit.
“If someone says, ‘Oh, you’re inGame of Thrones’, my youngest now says things like, ‘What isGame of Thrones?'” Headey says. “In fact, the other day she went, ‘My mommy is in…’ And I was like, ‘You don’t tell people!'”
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Despite theshow’s controversial ending, Headey says fans have affection for Cersei.
“I just get love,” she says. “It’s weird when you’re on holiday with your kids and you’re in the midst of a sandcastle and someone’s like, ‘Hey!’ And you’re like, ‘Have you seen me?’ Those moments still happen, which are bizarre, but people are generally lovely.”
After years of wearing regal gowns and armor, Headey hopes to play a more laidback character. “If someone was like, ‘You get to wear a big sack and order GrubHub,’ I’d be like, ‘Sign me up!'” Headey says.
She also has a plan B if for some reason her Hollywood reign ends.
“I’m investigating beekeeping,” the mother of two says. “I never went to college, so I cannot actually do anything. My fantasy is keeping bees and making skateboards.”
For more on Lena Headey, pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday, or subscribehere.
White House Plumbersairs Mondays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO.
source: people.com
