Hannah Murray

Early life

Murray was born on 1 July 1989 in Bristol. Her parents work at the University of Bristol, her father as a professor and her mother as a research technician. She earned an English degree at Queens' College, Cambridge. She attended North Bristol Post 16 Centre, and was a member of the Bristol Old Vic Young Company.

Career

At the age of 16, Murray heard about an audition for young actors in Bristol, and decided to audition for the experience. The auditions were for the E4 teen drama series Skins. She impressed the producers of the series and was cast as Cassie Ainsworth, a gentle and creative but self-destructive teenager with an eating disorder. Murray and April Pearson were the first two to be cast on the show. Murray went on to appear in the first two series, from 2007 to 2008. She left at the end of the show's second series to make way for a new generation of characters. On the decision to replace the cast, Murray has said that "it would be really silly to be in a teenage drama if you're no longer a teenager".

Following Skins in May 2008, Murray made her stage debut as Mia in the critically acclaimed That Face, a West End production at the Duke of York's Theatre. She was highly praised for her acting in the play, and it was considered a milestone in her career. That same year, she had a small role in the black comedy In Bruges, but her scene was cut from the film.

In 2009, Murray appeared in the ITV adaptation of Agatha Christie's novel Why Didn't They Ask Evans?, playing Dorothy Savage. She also appeared in the thriller film Womb (2010). Later that year, Murray starred in an adaptation of Enda Walsh's Chatroom. The film premiered at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival. In early January, she appeared in the British television thriller Above Suspicion: the Red Dahlia, an adaptation of Linda La Plante's novel, in a small role.

On 8 August 2011, HBO confirmed that Murray would portray Gilly in the second and third seasons of Game of Thrones. She was upgraded to a series regular for the fourth season. Her character is a young woman who has a baby by her own father, and becomes protected by the character Samwell Tarly. In 2012, she appeared in the action thriller film The Numbers Station.

In 2013, Murray appeared in a two-episode feature, in the seventh and final series of Skins, where she reprised her role as a more serious, solemn, and independent adult Cassie Ainsworth. She also starred in the music video for "Your Cover's Blown" by Belle & Sebastian.

In 2014, Murray starred in God Help the Girl, about three musicians in Glasgow. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2014, and Murray shared the World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for the Delightful Ensemble Performance. Later that year she continued her role as Gilly in Game of Thrones season 4. She also starred in the acclaimed revival of Jean-Jacques Bernard’s play Martine, playing the title role. Her performance was considered one of the most beautiful and heartbreaking of the year by the public and critics, and she was nominated for Best Female Performance at the Off West End Awards.

Murray starred in Lily & Kat (2015), an independent American film and the first feature directed by Micael Preysler, about inseparable best friends who struggle to make the best of their last few days together, savouring the city nightlife with an enigmatic artist one of them takes a liking to.

In 2015 she played Sara in the Danish film Bridgend, based on the Bridgend suicides of South Wales. The film premiered at the Rotterdam Film Festival, and received positive reviews. The film then had its North American premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival where it won 3 awards, including Murray for Best Actress.

In 2016 Murray played Sylvia Ageloff, a young Jewish American intellectual from Brooklyn and a confidante of Trotsky, in the film The Chosen.

In 2017, Murray starred in Kathryn Bigelow's drama Detroit, based on the Algiers Motel incident during Detroit's 1967 12th Street Riot. The film was critically acclaimed.

In 2018, she played the lead role of Leslie "Lulu" Van Houten, the American convicted murderer and former member of the Manson Family, in the film Charlie Says by Mary Harron. The movie premiered at the 75th Venice International Film Festival and was based on the books The Family, by Ed Sanders, and The Long Prison Journey of Leslie Van Houten, by Karlene Faith.

In January 2026 it was announced that Murray's first book The Make-Believe is set for release June 9 2026. The book is an autobiography sharing details of her mental health, involvement with a "wellness organization" and infatuation with its leader. Talking about these events Murray said that "The events of The Make-Believe were intensely challenging to live through, but the journey of writing about them has been the most powerfully rewarding thing I've ever known."

Personal life

In 2024, it was reported as part of the advance publicity for Murray's autobiography that she had been sectioned in 2017 following her involvement in a "wellness cult".

Acting roles

Film

Television

Stage

Radio

Music videos

Video games

Awards and nominations

References

References

1. (20 July 2015). "Mandagsmuse: Hannah Murray".
2. "California Girl: Game of Thrones Star Hannah Murray on Moving to LA and Working With the Greatest Female Directors".
3. Sauma, Luiza. (10 February 2008). "Hannah Murray". [[FindArticles]].
4. "BATS | Queens' College".
5. "Hannah Murray". [[TV.com]].
6. "Star Hannah was sectioned after joining ‘wellness cult’".
7. Goodhart, Benjie. (14 January 2007). "April Pearson". The National Student Magazine.
8. Alkayat, Zena. (21 April 2008). "Skins actress is the perfect problem child". [[Metro (British newspaper).
9. (12 May 2008). "Review Round-up: Stenham Saves West End Face". Whatsonstage.com.
10. Weiss, Keely. (25 July 2009). "'Skins' veteran Hannah Murray". Goodprattle.com.
11. "Hannah Murray". Troikatalent.com.
12. Elio. (8 August 2011). "Updated: Gilly Cast (Confirmed)". Westeros.org.
13. [https://www.channel4.com/info/press/news/hannah-murray-jack-oconnell-and-kaya-scodelario-return-to-skins Hannah Murray, Jack O'Connell and Kaya Scodelario return to Skins – Channel 4 – Info – Press]. Channel 4 (16 October 2012).
14. [https://g1.globo.com/musica/noticia/2013/08/atriz-de-game-thrones-estrela-novo-clipe-de-belle-sebastian.html G1 – Atriz de 'Game of thrones' estrela novo clipe de Belle & Sebastian – notícias em Música]. G1.globo.com (28 August 2013).
15. "Martine - 2014 - Finborough Theatre".
16. Hinds, Julie. (June 22, 2016). "Detroit 1967 riot movie will film here—at least partly". [[Detroit Free Press]].
17. Lincoln, Ross A.. (January 28, 2016). "'American Psycho' Team Mary Harron & Guinevere Turner Reunite For Manson Pic 'The Family'". [[Penske Business Media]].
18. "'Skins' and 'Game of Thrones' Star Hannah Murray Announces 'Powerfully Rewarding' Memoir — See the Cover! (Exclusive)".
19. "'Skins' and 'Game of Thrones' Star Hannah Murray Announces 'Powerfully Rewarding' Memoir — See the Cover! (Exclusive)".
20. England, Adam. (21 October 2024). "‘Skins’ star Hannah Murray was reportedly sectioned after joining wellness cult". [[NME]].
21. Muir, Ellie. (18 October 2024). "Game of Thrones star Hannah Murray reveals she was lured into wellness cult". [[The Independent]].