Actress says she was ‘treated like a cannibal’ after revealing she eats her mother’s ashes

Rachael Stirling previously admitted to swallowing a 'grain or two' of her mother Diana Rigg's ashes

Actor Rachael Stirling says she was made to feel like a 'matricidal cannibal' after revealing that she'd eaten some of her mother's ashes.

Last month, the actor revealed that she had swallowed a 'grain or two' of her mum Diana Rigg's ashes before heading on stage for the opening night of a new play, adding that the late Game of Thrones star was her 'superpower'.

"I eat her ashes before going on stage," she wrote in her recently released memoir, All About My Mother. "It shocks people when I tell them.

"It feels absolutely natural to me. I am cloaked in her, shielded and shrouded by her. My mother is my superpower."

The unorthodox revelation, which was revealed ahead of the book's publication, soon went viral online.

Now, Stirling has responded to the headlines in a piece written for The Guardian, claiming that she was 'portrayed as a matricidal cannibal' in the media.

Writing in detail about how she decided to place 'a few spilt cinders' on her tongue before heading on stage for the opening night of her 2022 performance in Scandaltown.

"It didn’t feel wrong, it felt completely right," she said of the moment, adding that her nerves 'disappeared' after consuming the ashes.

"I know this sounds bats**t, but it made complete sense to me," she said, adding that she had since repeated the ritual on the opening night of every play she'd acted in since.

Reflecting on the reactions she's had since revealing the habit, Stirling noted that most people, excluding a widow who admitted to also eating her loved ones' ashes, few people had been in agreement with the practice.

"Reactions vary from sour lemon-sucking grimaces to downright disgust," she wrote.

"Despite this, I will not be persuaded to give up the habit. I will die on the hill of my ash-eating."

While Stirling's decision to consume her mother's ashes is rare, she isn't the first person to do so – but how safe is it?

Consuming cremated remains is considered part of a practice known as endocannibalism and is seen as a ritual of respect or mourning for the deceased person.

However, the practice isn't one which is considered to be safe or healthy by most modern medical professionals.

This is due to cremated remains containing heavy metals and chemical residues, such as carcinogenic formaldehyde, left over from the process of cremation, as well as a high concentration of mineral salts and carbon, which can be dangerous to the body if consumed in high amounts.

After previously working as a freelancer for Digital Spy, Brenna joined LADbible in 2024 and has since carved out a niche covering film and TV. She has previously interviewed stars from shows such as Monster, MobLand and the 28 Days Later franchise. Outside of what's on her screen, Brenna is also interested in writing about music and bizarre pop culture.

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