Game of Thrones Star Lena Headey Speaks Out Against Refugee Crisis: ‘It’s Not a “Problem,” It’s People’

Game of Thrones star Lena Headey is continuing to advocate for migrants seeking asylum in Europe. The 43-year-old actress — who plays Cersei Lannister on the HBO drama — recently spoke to The Guardian about the “dehumanizing” treatment of refugees attempting to enter the United Kingdom.

“It’s horrendous that after the journeys that these refugees go through, they are then treated immediately with suspicion and fear,” she said. “I get it, this is a crisis with so many levels, but we have also lost sight of the fact it’s not a ‘problem,’ it’s people, it’s other human beings. And we’re dehumanizing them.”

Headey — who visited Syrian refugee camps in Greece last summer with co-stars Maisie Williams (Arya Stark) and Liam Cunningham (Davos Seaworth) — also weighed in on the frustrations surrounding her work to improve the migration process.

“People look at actors who speak out and say, ‘oh well, it’s so easy for them.’ There are a lot of people who are saying, ‘it’s all right for you, you champagne socialist,’ but that’s f—ing bollocks,” she said. “I’m just a human being with a conscience. My kids need to know that I gave a s—t — that’s what drives me most.”