And the best actress of Game of Thrones Season 5 is…

…Lena Headey as Cersei Lannister.

She is pleased.

I’d say she earned it, too. Headey has always been among the finest actors on the show’s roster, and in “Mother’s Mercy,” she was given a chance to really show off what she could do. Cersei’s walk of shame was one of the most harrowing sequences of the year, and Headey carried it almost entirely with her facial expressions. In the words of commenter Robbie:

"Lena Headey doesn’t speak for 10-15 minutes in her walk of shame but she makes it one of the most intense scenes of all 5 seasons! Headey just has that extra quality that helps sets Game of Thrones above any other show currently on TV!"

Headey’s work on Game of Thrones Season 5 earned her an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, and based on the strength of her performance, this could very well be her year.

Headey took the win pretty decisively, but a few of the other actresses put in good showings, particularly younger ones like Maisie Williams, Sophie Turner, and Kerry Ingram. It was a season of highlights for the kids.

[polldaddy poll=9033770]

It’s a sign of how deep the pool of acting talent is on Game of Thrones that solid performers like Natalie Dormer, Carice van Houten, and Gwendoline Christie barely registered on the poll. A lot of fans had problems with the plotting in Season 5, but the actors continue to bring it every time.

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