Episode notes
Everyone plays a character. But what does it really mean to turn your life into art? In this new podcast series, Freya explores how writers, artists and performers shape their character. Each episode, she’ll be talking to creatives of every discipline about the delicate art of finding inspiration in the everyday. From memoir to standup via autofiction and Instagram, what happens when we blur the lines between fact and fiction? These conversations explore how seeing yourself as a ‘character’ in your own story can unearth unexpected courage, compassion and curiosity. And maybe even a bit more…
Podcast
Character Study
Freya Bromley · Arts & Books · English
Everyone plays a character, right? Welcome to Character Study the podcast that explores how creativity shapes our lives. Each episode, author Freya Bromley talks to artists of every discipline about how turning their life into material changed how they see themselves. Whether we’re writing autoficti
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6 Jun 2026 · 10 min
Hannah Murray: Passage Reading — The Make-Believe
In this passage episode, Hannah reads from the opening chapter of her memoir The Make Believe. A scene from the set of the film Detroit, where she played a victim of sexual assault in one of the most physically and emotionally gruelling shoots of her career. Hannah describes having her dress ripped from her body, take after take, night after night, and the moment she realised that however much her mind knew it was pretend, her body didn't. Freya and Hannah then discuss the physical and emotional cost of playing dark material repeatedly, what it means to access your own trauma on screen, and…
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S1 · E2 · 4 Jun 2026 · 51 min
Hannah Murray: When the Character Takes Over
In this episode of Character Study, Freya sits down with Hannah Murray: actor, author and now writer, best known for playing Cassie in Skins and Gilly in Game of Thrones. Hannah's debut memoir The Make Believe explores fame, mental illness and the blurring of the line between magic and reality. They talk about what it means to build an identity around being chosen — as an actor, as a romantic partner, as a spiritual seeker — and what happens when that external validation disappears. Hannah opens up about her involvement in a wellness organisation that led to a psychiatric breakdown, the…
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1 Jun 2026 · 11 min
Emma Gannon: Listener Q&A
In this listener Q&A, Emma Gannon answers questions sent in by Character Study followers from around the world. On everything from how to get noticed as a new author, to beating writer's block, to whether nature really does help your creativity. WATCH the full episode HERE Buy Emma Gannon’s Creative Compass , A Year of Nothing and more. And remember you can now pre-order Freya’s novel: A Real Piece of Work . 👤 Follow @emmagannonuk on socials and Substack 💛 Follow @freybromley on Instagram for updates and to ask your questions 📚 Join Freya’s newsletter at freyabromley.substack.com for behind…
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30 May 2026 · 16 min
Emma Gannon: Passage Reading — Creative Compass
In this passage episode from our guest, Emma reads from her latest book Creative Compass — a story about watching a Bill Cunningham documentary in her early 20s and the creative philosophy it unlocked. Bill Cunningham, the beloved New York Times street photographer, lived in a rent-controlled room at Carnegie Hall, slept surrounded by filing cabinets, and ripped up a large cheque rather than compromise his freedom. The passage that follows is Emma's meditation on what that means for a creative life: keep your overheads low, consume less, create more. Freya and Emma then discuss the passage…
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S1 · E1 · 28 May 2026 · 41 min
Emma Gannon: Permission to Be a Writer
In the first ever episode of Character Study, Freya sits down with Emma Gannon: author of nine books, Substack writer to 80,000 readers and one of the most distinctive voices on the internet about creative life. They talk about what it really means to build a career from creativity, the difference between performing as a creative person and actually being one, why Emma's burnout happened when she forgot to live and how stepping back from the "shiny" version of success led to her most honest work yet. Emma also talks about her new book Creative Compass—a cosy, permission-giving guide on how…
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