Game of Thrones star Hannah Murray has opened up about being lured into a wellness cult, an experience that ultimately led to her being sectioned under the Mental Health Act. The actor, best known for playing Gilly in the HBO fantasy series and Cassie Ainsworth in the teen drama Skins, revealed the details in her upcoming memoir, The Make-Believe.
The Introduction to the Cult
Murray was introduced to an "energy healer" named Grace while filming the movie Detroit in 2016. The actor was feeling particularly vulnerable after a nude scene, and Grace preyed on her fragility. Murray explained that she was convinced Grace was a legitimate adviser because she had been recommended by her personal trainer on set.
In the following months, Murray said she "ignored so many little things" that didn't add up, including Grace's claims about activating her "spiritual DNA using powerful and ancient tools."
Escalation into the Cult
Murray was then introduced to a woman named Sioban, whom she paid £700 to teach her ways to "protect herself from other people's energy." This led to her becoming addicted to a series of courses: Ritual Master Novice, Ritual Master Apprentice, and Ritual Master Magus Hermeticus, which promised to heal her from past hurts.
"I wanted to go further and further, as far as you could go," Murray wrote in her memoir. She revealed that the man at the top of the organization was a figure named Steve.
Mental Breakdown and Sectioning
After a five-day course led by Steve, Murray became exhausted and erratic. One night, she experienced a mental breakdown, hearing Steve's voice in her head and hallucinating diagrams on people's necks that she believed were designed to "heal" them. She locked herself in a cubicle, and after someone called for help, she was rushed to hospital and detained for 28 days under the Mental Health Act.
The Memoir
Speaking about her book, Murray said it will tell a "deeply personal story that has lived inside me for many years and which it now feels vital to share." She expressed excitement about working with publisher Helen Conford at Hutchinson Heinemann, which acquired the rights after a 13-way auction. The memoir is set for release in summer 2026.
Hutchinson Heinemann described the book as being about "the lure of those that tell us they can save us" and the deceptive structure of organizations that promise wellness. The publisher added: "It's about the acting world, but also about the way all of us act, hiding our vulnerabilities from everyone except the people trained to prey on them."
The statement continued: "This is the story of the blurred line between what is real, and what is an illusion; what we must accept and what we wish to be true; between solid earth beneath your feet and a world where anything is possible if you only commit."
If you are experiencing feelings of distress or struggling to cope, you can contact the Samaritans in confidence on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit their website for local branch details. In the US, call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org. For other countries, visit www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.
