‘Vicious online bullies left me feeling suicidal’
IN Game Of Thrones she plays the feisty, confident Sansa Stark.
In real life, however, Sophie Turner was so distressed by cruel internet trolls that she used to ‘think of suicide a lot’.
The British actress, 23, told how negative social media remarks about her weight and looks left her ‘very, very selfconscious’ and unable to get out of bed.
Ms Turner, who landed the role in the Sky fantasy drama when she was 14, said: ‘I would just believe it. I would say, “Yeah, I am spotty. I am fat. I am a bad actress.” I would get [the costume department] to tighten my corset a lot. I just got very, very self-conscious.’
Ms Turner, now back on screens in the eighth and final Game Of Thrones season, said: ‘I’ve suffered with my depression for five or six years now. The biggest challenge for me is getting out of bed and getting out of the house. Learning to love yourself is the biggest challenge.’
She told the Phil In The Blanks podcast: ‘I had no motivation to do anything or go out. Even with my best friends, I wouldn’t want to see them... I would cry and cry.’
The actress said she used to ‘think about suicide a lot’ when she was younger, but insisted she would have never ‘gone through with it’. She said: ‘It’s weird. I say I wasn’t very depressed when I was younger, but I used to think about suicide a lot. I don’t know why. Maybe it’s just a weird fascination I used to have, but yeah, I used to think about it. I don’t think I ever would have gone through with it. I don’t know.’
Ms Turner is engaged to pop star Joe Jonas, whom she credited with helping her through her depression by telling her he loves her every day. ‘I love myself now, or more than I used to,’ she said. ‘I’m now with someone that makes me realise I do have some redeeming qualities.’ For confidential support, you can call the Samaritans on 116 123 or go to their website at samaritans.org