Lena Headey lands post-Game of Thrones TV role with Showtime dramedy 'Rita'
For Lena Headey, life after Game of Thrones includes a move to Showtime.
The actress behind Cersei Lannister will executive producer and star in a new hourlong dramedy pilot called Rita, in which she’ll portray the titular “headstrong, unconventional teacher and single mother who takes on every kind of authority – as well as her family – in a messy and unfiltered way,” according to a network description.
“Rita is a deliciously subversive character who will make you laugh and cry as she continuously challenges the hypocrisy around her,” Jana Winograde, Presidents of Entertainment at Showtime Networks Inc., said in a statement. “It goes without saying that Lena Headey is a force, whose essence is ideal to take on this wonderfully dynamic lead role.”
Created, showrun, and written by executive producer Christian Torpe, the pilot is an adaptation of the Danish series of the same name. It first premiered in Denmark in 2012 with actress Millie Dinesen starring as Rita. Netflix currently distributes all four seasons of the original series.
Bravo previously attempted to get a U.S. adaptation of Rita off the ground in 2013 with Breaking Bad alum Anna Gunn starring in the lead role and Grey’s Anatomy‘s Krista Vernoff attached. That, obviously, didn’t end up moving forward.
Apart from Game of Thrones, which finished its final season in May, Headey filmed a role in the movie The Flood and a voice role in Netflix’s Dark Crystal prequel series. She will also star opposite Karen Gillan (Guardians of the Galaxy) and Carla Gugino (The Haunting of Hill House) in action-er Gunpowder Milkshake.
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