Stripped ... Lena Headey’s Cersei Lannister was stripped naked and made to do a walk of shame in Game of Thrones. Picture: HBO Source: Supplied

George R.R. Martin explains why Cercei had to do the walk of atonement in the last episode of Game of Thrones

People have also been buzzing about that harrowing walk of shame that Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey) took through the streets of King’s Landing. While fans have almost universally praised Headey’s brave performance, many noticed that CGI was used and that it was actually Headey’s head on another nude body.

The New York Post reports that an American actress named Rebecca Van Cleave has been revealed as Headey’s body double.

Van Cleave was picked from over 1000 actresses who auditioned for the role of Cersei’s body and told EW that “It was actually the most comfortable casting I’ve ever had, considering.”

The two actresses worked together to help achieve the illusion that it was one person’s performance. Headey wore a shift and was shot above the shoulders, and Van Cleave’s nude body was used for all the full body shots.

Body double ... Rebecca van Cleave stripped naked to stand in for Lena Headey in Game of Thrones. Picture: Supplied Source: Supplied

Headey took care to coach Van Cleeve through every step of the journey, though.

Van Cleave said, “Lena was so good about walking beside me and guiding me into what Cersei was thinking and the movements ... We were playing tag team — ‘You’re it!’ — and trying to make light of the fact we’re all covered in everything and going through this together.”

CGI was used to blend the performances together.

Sources say that Headey opted not to partake in the nude scene for a variety of reasons.

It’s speculated that the big reason was the actress’s pregnancy.

Cut and paste ... Fans of Game of Thrones were not happy with the CGI used in Lena Headey’s walk of shame. Picture: HBO Source: Supplied

However, Headey has also spoken out in the past to Vulture about how her reluctance to be nude on the show is tied to Cersei’s power:

“I’ve said from day one that I’ve got no problem with nudity. I’ve done it throughout my career. But for this character, it’s been better for her regality and her feistiness to not bare her flesh until she has to. When it’s out of her control. And if that ever happens, it won’t be Cersei being seductive or sexy. She’ll be stripped. That kind of a scene will have more power if it’s not an everyday occurrence. I can’t wait for that,” she said.

Well, now that Cersei’s been stripped down, does it matter that Headey sidestepped the task of going fully nude?

Van Cleave doesn’t think so.

“I personally don’t agree with anybody who says having a body double detracts from the scene. Lena put her heart and soul into that scene. It should all be about the finished product, not about whose body was where and whose head was where.”