Game of Thrones vet Lena Headey has taken on a number of voice-acting roles since first landing the part of Cersei Lannister on HBO's epic fantasy drama. But the actress has now landed her first big live-action since portraying Cersei in the HBO series, and it's another intriguing genre project.
Lena Headey will star in the previously announced psychological thriller Beacon 23, which is being set up through Spectrum Originals and AMC Networks. In it, Headey stars as Aster, a woman who mysteriously finds her way to a lonely beacon keeper and his lighthouse in the darkest recesses of space. The series, from creator Zak Penn, will follow two people whose fates become entangled after they find themselves trapped together at the end of the known universe. Sounds creepy enough, though more details will be needed to know how long this story can last episodically. It should make for an interesting switch for the actress, going from the gigantic Game of Thrones ensemble to the very limited cast of Beacon 23.
Not just a star, Lena Headey will also executive produce the project through her production company, Peephole Productions, as part of her first-look deal with Boat Rocker Studios. Zak Penn will serve as executive producer and showrunner, along with EPs Ira Steven Behr, Tina Thor, Elisa Ellis, and Katie O’Connell Marsh for Boat Rocker Studios.
Lena Headey is best known for her portrayal of Cersei Lannister in HBO’s Game of Thrones, and the actress can also be seen in 9 Bullets, Gunpowder Milkshake and The Trap - in which she made her writing/directing debut. In recent years, she has lent her voice to acclaimed TV shows such as HBO Max's Infinity Train, Nickelodeon's Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Netflix's The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. She'll soon be heard in Kevin Smith's He-Man series Masters of the Universe: Revelation.
In a statement, Zak Penn praised Lena Headey’s performances, hoping that he can deliver beyond everyone's expectations:
Lena Headey was a wonderful, versatile actress before she gave one of the defining performances in television history. So, as they say, ‘no pressure.’ I’m thankful to all the people making this show possible, they just keep delivering beyond my expectations.
Beacon 23 is based on the book of the same name by The New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Hugh Howey. For those wondering how the show will make its way to viewers, it will have a nine-month exclusive run on Spectrum before jumping over to AMC Networks platforms. So for those who are already tapped into Spectrum's platform, the bragging rights to watching Lena Headey's return will come quicker, but AMC will certainly enjoy a traffic boost from Beacon 23's arrival, especially if they promote the hell out of Headey's involvement.
