Game of Thrones alum Hannah Murray has opened up about experiencing a psychotic breakdown after joining a wellness cult, which later led to her diagnosis of bipolar disorder. The 36-year-old British actress, known for playing Gilly on the hit HBO fantasy series, shared her story in an interview with The Guardian published on Saturday. She delves deeper into the topic in her upcoming book titled The Make-Believe: A Memoir of Magic and Madness, set to release on June 23.
Murray discussed being drawn into the organization in her late 20s and its impact on her mental health. 'It's easy to go, "Well, that would never happen to me," but we do ourselves a disservice when we start saying that, because you don't know,' she said. 'I had no idea I was going to go through any of the things in the book. I would've assumed I couldn't, that I was safe.'
The actress emphasized that she was educated and from a middle-class background, adding 'everything should have been fine.' She admitted, 'I thought, "I'm smart. I make good choices." Well, I made terrible choices.' Murray stressed that 'it's important to understand why people do these things, rather than going, "Oh, they must be idiots." Or, "How stupid could you be?"'
She was first introduced to an 'energy healer' named Grace through her personal trainer while on set of the 2017 film Detroit. Murray began taking lessons and classes at a cost, trusting Grace because of the connection through someone on set. After returning to the U.K., she was put in contact with another woman who discussed shamanic and Kabbalistic rituals, salt baths, magic circles, and higher selves.
After completing a number of pricey classes, Murray met the man at the top of the wellness cult, named Steve. She described going through psychosis: 'My brain was a cocktail of those stories, this idea that I had discovered the truth, which was that I had this incredible destiny. I was going to save the world. I could fly.' She noted that Steve was 'so confident' and 'exuded power.'
During a course at a London hotel, her behavior became manic and erratic. She recalled immense pain in her head, feeling like she was 'giving birth through my skull.' In a bathroom stall, other members surrounded her and chanted, 'Be gone, evil spirit in Hannah.' Despite the ordeal, she admitted part of her found it 'f***ing hilarious.'
Someone eventually called for help, and Murray was admitted to a hospital for 28 days under the Mental Health Act. She received a bipolar disorder diagnosis, which she described as a 'relief.' She said, 'There's such a taboo around the idea of people who are sectioned. They are beyond the pale. It felt really important to say, "I went through this." Lots of people go through this. That doesn't mean they are bad or f***ed up for ever.'
Murray's memoir was first announced in 2024. She said the book 'tells a deeply personal story that has lived inside me for many years and which it now feels vital to share.' Hutchinson Heinemann is set to release the autobiography in 2026.
Murray began her acting career as Cassie in the E4 teen drama Skins. She also appeared in Chatroom (2010), Wings (2011), and God Help The Girl (2014). From season two through eight of Game of Thrones, she played Gilly. Her last acting credit was in the 2020 series Expecting. She previously took a break from acting to complete an English Literature degree at Queens College, Cambridge University.
