20 TV Villain Performances That Are Practically Flawless
3. Lena Heady - Cersei Lannister (Game Of Thrones)
Is Cersei a villain or a victim? A conniving monster or a woman who simply wants to survive in a dangerous world? The answer, of course, is that Cersei Lannister is all of these things and more, and Lena Heady's performance is what sells her many sides.
The wife of King Robert Baratheon, Cersei is shown to be cruel and selfish, sharing a deep love affair with her brother and willing to move mountains to protect their secret and their claim to the fabled Iron Throne.
As the show progresses, Cersei becomes even more complex and conflicted, and Heady's performance turns into an even tougher juggling act of madness, loss, manipulation and deception.
Heady makes Cersei evil, but also empowering, and casually monstrous but almost uncertain. It's a phenomenal performance that often towers above her co-stars, and one that even shines through the show's disastrous final season.