Kim Cattrall discusses 'debilitating' struggle with insomnia

'It was a gorilla sitting on my chest', actress says

Kim Cattrall (Getty)

Kim Cattrall has discussed her “debilitating” ordeal with insomnia, explaining it became a “void” in her life.

The actress was due to star in the West End production of Linda at the Royal Court theatre in London last year but pulled out on doctor’s orders in November shortly before the play's run began.

Discussing leaving the play, Cattrall spoke about suffering from chronic insomnia, which she likened to feeling like “a gorilla [was] sitting on my chest”.

“I didn't understand the debilitating consequences of having no sleep,” she told the Radio Times. “It became a tsunami. I was in a void.”

Cattrall, 59, said although she found the decision to leave the production difficult, it was necessary to work on her “sanity”. She also filtered out any criticism she received for leaving the play describing it as “noise” she doesn't listen to.

The actress, who is best known for playing Samantha in the long-running sitcom Sex And The City, said after returning home to the US she undertook Cognitive Behavioural Therapy in order to recover from the condition.

Cattrall was replaced in the play by Noma Dumezweni, who will soon be playing the adult Hermione in the stage version of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.