Game of Thrones’ Star Hannah Murray Reflects on ‘Terrible Choices’ During Cult Experience

Actress Hannah Murray is opening up about the painful experience that changed her life after she became involved with a wellness cult in 2017.
In a new interview with The Guardian, the former Game of Thrones star said she never expected herself to fall into such a situation, but now wants others to better understand how it can happen.
Murray shared that her experience is detailed in her upcoming memoir, The Make-Believe: A Memoir of Magic and Madness, which will be released on June 23. The actress explained that she once believed she was too educated and careful to become involved in a harmful group.
"It's easy to go, 'That would never happen to me,'" Murray said. "I thought I was smart and made good choices. But I made terrible choices."
The 36-year-old actress said she was first introduced to the group through an "energy healer" she met while filming the 2017 movie Detroit, EW reported.
What began as a healing session soon led to more classes and deeper involvement with the organization.
Game of Thrones alum Hannah Murray says she suffered a catastrophic psychotic break after joining a wellness cult. https://t.co/sTTQeMwGlP
— Us Weekly (@usweekly) May 23, 2026
Hannah Murray Reflects on 'Terrible Choices'
Murray admitted she became drawn to promises of "wisdom and specialness" and spent thousands of dollars trying to find answers and purpose. She also recalled feeling uncomfortable around the group's leader, who often made sexual jokes and carried what she described as a powerful and magnetic presence.
According to PageSix, Murray said the atmosphere inside the organization felt "highly eroticized," even though nothing physical happened.
At the height of her involvement, Murray suffered a severe psychotic breakdown during a five-day course at a London hotel. She described hallucinating, hearing voices, and seeing signs everywhere before being hospitalized under the Mental Health Act for nearly a month. She was later diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
The actress said speaking publicly about the experience matters because many people still avoid conversations about serious mental health struggles.
"Lots of people go through this," Murray explained. "That doesn't mean they are bad or broken forever."
Since the ordeal, Murray has stepped away from acting and now avoids anything connected to the wellness industry, including meditation and yoga. She admitted that even harmless practices can still trigger difficult memories for her.
Best known for playing Gilly on Game of Thrones and Cassie Ainsworth on Skins, Murray said the memoir is her way of honestly sharing what happened and helping remove the shame often tied to psychosis and mental illness.
© 2026 Enstarz.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.