Gemma Whelan shared an emotional milestone this week as she reflected on the first anniversary of her mother’s tragic death. The “Game of Thrones” star revealed that her mother, Sue, drowned while on vacation abroad in 2025, opening up about the grief that has reshaped her life ever since.
The actress, best known for playing Yara Greyjoy on HBO’s Game of Thrones, posted a peaceful photo of a lake on Instagram alongside a deeply personal message. She described the loss as a “catastrophic shock” and admitted the pain still catches her by surprise, even a year later.
Gemma Whelan said grief never truly left after losing her mother Sue
In her Instagram tribute, Whelan reflected on the loneliness that followed such an unexpected tragedy. “It has been a year since we had the catastrophic shock that our brilliant bright mum had drowned abroad,” she wrote. “There’s such a big hole in me now, but most people wouldn’t know.” She added that she hoped others facing sudden loss would know “you’re not alone.”
The actress acknowledged that grief looked different for everyone but admitted she still struggled with the shock of losing her mother.
“I don’t think this too shall ever pass,” Whelan continued. “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.”
According to Metro, Whelan also revealed that she still instinctively reached for her phone to call her mother or snapped photos she thought Sue would enjoy before remembering she was gone.
“I still go to call her, I still take photos thinking she’ll love them and then remember. It’s bloody awful,” she wrote, adding that she was “happy and fulfilled” most days, but grief still “catches me out.”
The actress explained that the lake she photographed held special meaning. Part of Sue’s ashes had been scattered there in her native Canada, while the rest would eventually be scattered alongside her father in England’s Lake District. Whelan joked her mother “would love it if we got caught,” calling her “forever the rebel.”
Long before becoming Yara Greyjoy, Whelan often spoke warmly about the home Sue created for her family. In a previous interview with The Guardian, she recalled, “Our home was always busy and bustling.” She credited her mother, a respected home tutor known for helping children pass their 11-plus exams, with filling the house with warmth, laughter, and a constant stream of visitors.
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