Actress Hannah Murray, best known for her breakout role as Cassie in Skins and her long-running portrayal of Gilly in Game of Thrones, was once regarded as one of Britain’s most promising young talents. However, after years of steady success on screen, her acting work noticeably slowed following 2020, and she gradually faded from public view—leaving fans curious about her sudden absence from the spotlight.
In a newly released memoir, The Make-Believe, Murray offers a candid explanation for her retreat from acting and the personal turmoil she endured during that period. She reveals that while working in the demanding world of film and television, she became involved with a group that presented itself as a spiritual or “magical” organisation, offering secret knowledge, healing, and enlightenment through increasingly intense practices and rituals. What began as curiosity, she explains, escalated into isolation from friends and family, ultimately contributing to a severe decline in her mental health that required medical intervention.
Murray describes how the boundaries between reality and illusion began to blur as she became more deeply immersed in the group’s belief system, which promised transformation but instead led to confusion and distress. In her account, she reflects on the vulnerability that can accompany fame and the search for meaning, especially within high-pressure environments.
Now speaking openly about her experience, Murray says her aim in sharing her story is to shed light on both personal struggle and the wider appeal of so-called wellness movements. She frames the memoir as a journey through “magic and madness,” emphasizing how easily hope and belief can be exploited when someone is searching for stability and purpose.
Her last appearance on Game of Thrones came in its final season in 2019, where her character Gilly concluded her story alongside Samwell Tarly. Since then, Murray has stepped back from acting, choosing instead to focus on telling her own story in her own words.
