Hannah Murray on Leaving Acting Behind: Why She's Found Peace in Moving On

Hannah Murray has stepped away from acting and found genuine contentment in doing so.

The 36-year-old performer, recognized for her role as Gilly in Game of Thrones and for playing Cassie Ainsworth in Skins, has maintained a low profile in recent years. In her memoir "The Make-Believe: A Memoir of Magic and Madness," she details her involvement with a wellness cult, which ultimately led to a psychotic episode and her hospitalization.

Speaking with The Guardian about her book, Murray revealed that she regularly experiences relief at no longer being an actress. "At least once a week, I think to myself, 'Thank God I don't act anymore,'" she shared, noting that this realization brings her "a real surge of joy."

The actress spoke candidly about the psychological burden certain roles imposed on her, particularly her involvement in Skins' storyline centered on an eating disorder. The experience proved deeply challenging, with Murray recounting the harsh feedback she received. "It was horrible, like the sewer of the internet; for every person saying my body was 'thinspiration,' there was someone else saying: 'She's disgusting,'" she explained, disclosing that she developed compulsive habits around reading online commentary.

Murray was subsequently diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Reflecting on her acting career, she grappled with conflicting emotions about her mental health struggles. "I struggled for a long time with this idea that I wasn't entitled to feel as sad as I did. There wasn't anything wrong with me. I was privileged to have this incredible career. Why couldn't I just be happy all the time? Be grateful," she recalled of that period in her life.