10 Things You Never Knew About Game Of Thrones' Carice Van Houten
4. She Was Originally Offered The Role Of Cersei Lannister
Somehow we just can't imagine another actress playing the scene where Melisandre gives birth to the murderous Stannis-shadow-baby, but that's almost what happened when Carice was offered the role of Cersei Lannister back in 2011.
Fortunately for Lena Headey (and for everyone who absolutely adores her as Queen Cersei), Carice had to turn the role down because she was in the process of filming Family Way (or "Alles is Familie") a Dutch comedy film sequel to Everything is Love (or "Alles is Liefde") when they started filming Game of Thrones.
Later, Carice was offered the part of Melisandre and when she appeared on Late Night With Seth Meyers in 2015, he shared a little tidbit with his audience. "I deserve a little bit of credit because when you got offered the part of Melisandre, you texted me because you assumed I was nerdy enough to have read the books," Meyers said. "And you were right. And I told you you should do it. And yet, I haven't seen a dime!"