Headey's naked GoT walk 'banned by church'

Andy Samberg and Lena Headey present the award for outstanding miniseries on stage at the 66th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards. Photo / AP

Nudity may be normal in King's Landing, but one Game of Thrones actress has reportedly been banned from exposing her breasts to film on location.

Producers of the hit US TV series have been prohibited from filming a pivotal topless scene at its planned location in Croatia's capital Dubrovnik, according to TMZ.

The Hollywood gossip magazine says the program's crew applied to the local film commission to shoot the racy scene in which Cersei Lannister, played by Lena Headey, undertakes a "walk of penance" through the streets of King's Landing.

But the request was reportedly rejected because the city's Church of St Nicholas has a hardline stance against public displays of sexuality.

It's understood the iconic scene, from George R.R. Martin's fifth novel A Dance With Dragons, will still be shot somewhere else because of its importance to the storyline.

Filming is well under way for the fifth series of Game of Thrones, which will air in April 2015, with the majority having already been completed in Northern Ireland.

Its last two seasons do not have a release date and will only be filmed once Martin has written his final novels, The Winds Of Winter and A Dream Of Spring.

The HBO fantasy drama series has been nominated for 19 categories at the Emmy Awards taking in Los Angeles today.

Martin recently expressed both happiness and frustration at the level of attention he's received since the small-screen adaptation of his novel first aired in 2011.

"A few years ago I came to Edinburgh wife my wife and we were able to listen to the street musicians and go to plays and comedy performances and the military Tattoo," the author told the Guardian at the Edinburgh International Book Festival this month.

"And in the whole week we were here, maybe three people recognised me, and I was happy to sign an autograph for them.

"Now, three or four people recognise me every block. I can't go out any more, I can't walk the streets.

"And it's great to have all these readers and fans who, for the most part, are very nice people, saying they love the books and the TV show.

"But there are so many of them and it just doesn't end. Oh, and selfies. If I could clap my hands and burn out every camera phone in the world, I swear I'd do it."

- AAP