Hannah Murray
An actress who specializes in portraying fragile, misunderstood young women, moving from a British teen drama touchstone to the frozen landscapes of Westeros.
Born 1989 (age 37)·English actress·Birthday: July 1·Millennials
Biography
Hannah Murray entered the public consciousness as Cassie Ainsworth in the first generation of the UK's 'Skins', a performance of such haunting vulnerability it became culturally indelible. With her whispery voice and wide-eyed delivery, she captured the spiraling reality of a teenager with an eating disorder and unrequited love, making Cassie a tragic icon. Murray, an English literature student at Cambridge when cast, deliberately avoided being typecast, taking on stage work and independent film. This led to her second major role: Gilly in 'Game of Thrones'. As the timid Wildling who survives unspeakable brutality, she provided the series with one of its few pure-hearted relationships, her journey from captive to protector offering a sliver of hope in a brutal world. Murray consistently chooses roles that explore the inner lives of marginalized young women, bringing a delicate intensity that demands empathy.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Hannah was born in 1989, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Hannah Was Born
The biggest hits of 1989
#1 Movie
Batman
Best Picture
Driving Miss Daisy
#1 TV Show
Roseanne
Hannah's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1989Born
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1994Started school
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2002Became a teenager
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2005Could drive
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2007Could vote
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2010Turned 21
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2019Turned 30
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 37 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the Best Actress award at the Tribeca Film Festival for her role in the 2015 drama film 'Bridgend'.
- Portrayed Gilly across seven seasons of HBO's 'Game of Thrones', nominated for three SAG Awards with the ensemble.
- Her film debut, 'God Help the Girl', won the Special Jury Prize at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival.
Did You Know?
She was discovered for 'Skins' when a casting director visited her drama school at Cambridge University.
She is a trained singer and performed all her own vocals in the musical film 'God Help the Girl'.
She has a first-class degree in English from Queens' College, Cambridge.
“Cassie ['Skins'] and Gilly ['Game of Thrones'] are both girls who are on the outside of society looking in, and I think I'm attracted to characters who are misunderstood.”
