January 29, 2018 —  Lena Headey, the actor best known for her ongoing portrayal of Cersei Lannister in HBO’s epic television series “Game of Thrones” is teaming up with the International Rescue Committee to raise awareness for refugees and people who have been displaced by war.

Headey will become an IRC Voice, and use her voice to speak up for and with some of the world’s most vulnerable people.  

In June 2016, Headey, along with fellow Game of Thrones cast members, Liam Cunningham and Maisie Williams travelled to Greece with the IRC to meet with refugees who had been stranded there as a result of both border closures along the route and the reluctance by some European Union countries to welcome refugees to their communities. That visit was part of the IRC and HBO’s multi-platform "Rescue Has No Boundaries" campaign, which raised emergency funds for millions of refugees.

Headey has also produced a series of portraits with the IRC of refugees stuck on the Greek island of Lesbos to highlight their hopes and dreams for the future.

Last week, Headey travelled to Germany, a country that has opened its doors to over 1.5 million refugees seeking safety. The IRC, building on 80 years of work with refugees, along with four decades’ experience in refugee resettlement in the United States, is committed to supporting German society as it works to successfully integrate refugees into their local communities.

While in Germany, Headey saw first-hand what is working well in the German context, along with some of the challenges.

Headey met with Marwa, a Syrian refugee she first met on Lesbos in June 2016. At the time, Marwa, who was traveling with three young children, was separated from her husband, who had been able to find his way to Germany. Through the family reunification program, Marwa was able to reunite with her husband a few months later but now, almost 18 months since arriving in Germany, life remains difficult. While they are safe and her children are in school, Marwa feels quite isolated and, in fact, lonely.  

In Berlin, Headey saw what is possible. Through IRC partners, Devugees and Care.com, she met with compassionate, inspiring, kind-hearted people whose minds and hearts are open to refugees. Both partners are committed to assisting refugees gain the skills they need to access the German workforce.

Lena Headey, Actor, IRC Voice said: At a time when over 65 million people across the world have been forced to flee their homes, I believe it is vital to do everything I can to bring people together and to recognize that at our core, we are all connected. I look forward to standing with the International Rescue Committee to use my voice to speak up on behalf of refugees.”

David Miliband, president & CEO, International Rescue Committee: I am delighted to welcome Lena Headey’s commitment to be an IRC Voice. I know from our discussions that the cause of the world’s most vulnerable is close to her heart, and I look forward to joining her in bringing that passion to a wide audience.”   

Additional information about Lena’s trip to Germany here.

B-roll & Photos from Lena’s trip to Germany available here.

Associated Press b-roll + interview at this link.

For embed: Facebook video to accompany announcement.