5. Lena Headey
GoT Role: Cersei Lannister
Past Role: Queen Gorgo - 300 Lena Headey's performance as Cersei Lannister humanizes a character that is very hard to sympathise with. That's not to say she will ever be likeable Cersei is self-serving and cruel, not to mention the fact that she and her brother do the dirty. This incestuous union is the reason that Joffrey exists and as such can only be described as pure evil. While her brother Jaime begins a journey to bettering himself throughout the story, the opposite could be said of Cersei who reaches new lows in attempting to manipulate her already psychopathic son. There's not so much of a stretch here in terms of role as both are queens. The real difference is in the characters themselves. Queen Gorgo is a devoted and selfless wife who will do anything to ensure the safety of her people. Despite being manipulated and humiliated she overcomes the odds and does so because she cares. She is a character you really can root for and Lena Heady plays her with grace and poise. It's quite shocking to see her being so likeable after spending 3 Seasons of Thrones despising her. Queen Gorgo is pretty much the opposite of Cersei Lannister's snarling, poisonous character. These contrasting roles make you notice all the more how talented Heady is and allows the viewer to allot the appropriate amount of hate against this despicable Lannister.