Actress Gemma Whelan, known for her role in "Game of Thrones," has marked the one-year anniversary of her mother's death, revealing that her mother tragically drowned while abroad. Whelan, 45, shared her grief in an emotional Instagram post on Monday, detailing the profound solitude and loneliness that accompanies such a sudden and shocking loss.
"It has been a year since we had the catastrophic shock that our brilliant bright mum had drowned abroad," Whelan wrote. "There's such a big hole in me now." She described the ongoing struggle with grief, noting that while she is happy and fulfilled, the loss "just catches me out."
Whelan shared a photograph of a lake in Canada where a portion of her mother's ashes have been scattered. The remaining ashes will be interred with her father in a river in the Lake District, a plan she mentioned was necessitated by regulations regarding ash scattering.
Fellow actresses Suranne Jones and Sophie Rundle offered their condolences in the comments of Whelan's post. Jones wrote, "Sending love to you Gemma. I recognise the pain. I’m so sorry," while Rundle added, "Oh love. Big, big enormous love to you."
Whelan had previously mentioned it was her first Mother's Day without her mother in March but had not disclosed the circumstances of her passing. The actress, who was born in Leeds and grew up in the Midlands, trained as a yoga teacher at her mother's suggestion, a profession she saw as a reliable fallback.
In her Instagram post, Whelan expressed hope that the void left by her mother's death would gradually fill with cherished memories. "I don't think this too shall ever pass but I have excellent friends and family and support and I forge forward with positivity and hope that the hole fills a little year on year with good memories of her and new memories with my kids," she wrote.
Whelan also reflected on her personal history, including overcoming anorexia as a teenager, an experience she described as her "greatest achievement" and a significant factor in shaping her personality. Her career began in comedy, leading to roles in "Gentleman Jack" and "Upstart Crow" before her casting in "Game of Thrones" in 2011.
She is married to writer and comedian Gerry, and they have two children, Frances and Freddie. Whelan also shared a past reflection on her father's dying wish in 2016 for her not to have children due to concerns about the state of the world. However, she later felt a strong urge to start her own family, leading to the birth of their daughter Frances and later their son Freddie.