Actor Reveals Shocking Ritual Involving Late Mother’s Ashes Before Every Performance
Ever wonder what kind of bizarre ritual an actor might have before stepping into the glaring stage lights? Well, prepare yourself—Rachael Stirling’s pre-show tradition is unlike anything you’ve ever heard. Instead of the usual lucky charm or a calming breath, Stirling admits to consuming “a grain or two” of her late mother Diana Rigg’s ashes before curtain rise. Yes, you read that right. It’s a deeply personal, if unconventional, way to carry her mother’s presence into the spotlight. Stirling, who lost the iconic “Game of Thrones” and “The Avengers” star in 2020, calls this act her “superpower,” a ritual born from love and loss that’s both shocking and oddly poetic. Intrigued? Dive into the full story and the heart behind this hauntingly unique tribute. LEARN MORE
Rachael Stirling has admitted she eats ‘a grain or two’ of her mother’s ashes before going out on stage.
Whether it be stand-up comedians, actors or singers, many who go out on stage have some kind of ritual prior to performing.
That could be something to calm the nerves or even a good luck ritual, whatever it may be, we’ve surely not heard something more bizarre than what Stirling does before the opening night of a play.
The 49-year-old lost her mother, Diana Rigg, aged 82 in 2020 after a cancer diagnosis.
Rigg featured in the likes of HBO’s Game of Thrones and the 1960s’s TV show The Avengers. She was, of course, also famous for playing Bond Girl opposite George Lazenby’s 007 as well.
Rachael Stirling has admitted she eats ‘a grain or two’ of her mother’s ashes (John Nacion/FilmMagic)
Stirling has been speaking about her mother in her new memoir titled All About My Mother, which details the pair’s relationship and life.
In that new book, as per the Telegraph, Stirling revealed that she ingests her mother’s ashes on the first night of a new play.
“Although it shocks people when I tell them,” she wrote in the memoir. “It feels absolutely natural to me. I am cloaked in her, shielded and shrouded by her. My mother is my superpower.”
It’s highly recommended not to consume cremated remains as they could contain heavy metals or chemical residues from the actual cremation process.
While consuming small accidental amounts are usually non-toxic, intentional eating is unsafe due to the risk of toxic buildup in the body.
Rigg had initially kept her cancer diagnosis from her daughter in March 2020 as Stirling was starring in Mike Bartlett’s Love Love Love at the time.
But Rigg’s health rapidly declined and with Stirling later in the know, the latter became concerned with her mother’s care.
She revealed in her new book: “They lost Mama’s name on the system at one juncture during Covid. I was asking: ‘Where the f*** is my mother?’
Rachael Stirling has been speaking about her mom in her new memoir (Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images)
“I found her eventually. I basically had to break into the hospital. She was in a room on her own. She couldn’t get out of bed. The only thing she wanted to eat was this yogurt, but she couldn’t open it, and nobody had helped her, so she hadn’t eaten anything.
“So that was that. I took her home with us.”
In September 2020, just six months after her diagnosis, Rigg passed away.
Stirling said in a statement at the time: “My Beloved Ma died peacefully in her sleep early this morning, at home, surrounded by family. I will miss her beyond words.
“She spent her last months joyfully reflecting on her extraordinary life, full of love, laughter and a deep pride in her profession.”
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