Glenn Close opens up about traumatic 'cult' childhood in Prince Harry documentary

Glenn Close opens up on her mental health struggles in a new documentary series co-produced by Oprah Winfrey and Prince Harry. Photo / Apple TV

Eight-time-Oscar-nominated actress Glenn Close has opened up about her "traumatic" childhood in which she grew up in a "cult-like" movement.

During an interview on Prince Harry and Oprah Winfrey's new Apple TV+ series The Me You Can't See, the 74-year-old detailed what life was like as a child being raised in a movement called Moral Re-Armament (MRA).

Glenn Close opens up on her mental health struggles in a new documentary series co-produced by Oprah Winfrey and Prince Harry. Photo / Apple TV

Close said the experience took an emotional and psychological toll on her to the extent it left her traumatised.

"It's astounding that something you go through at such a young stage in your life still has such a potential to be destructive," the star said.

"I think that's childhood trauma, because of the devastation, emotional and psychological, of the cult," she added.

"I am psychologically traumatised."

Glenn Close has been nominated for an Oscar eight times, but people might be surprised to find out about her traumatic past. Photo / Getty

Close explained her father William joined the movement when she was a child and located the whole family to the MRA's headquarters in Switzerland.

Her family lived there for two years while her father worked as a doctor in Africa.

But the family's involvement in the movement lasted a lot longer than their stay, keeping close ties for up to 15 years.

Close described the organisation as a "cult" which forced a lot of "control" on its followers.

"It was basically a cult. Everyone spouted the same things, and there's a lot of rules, a lot of control," recalled Close.

"Because of how we were raised, anything you thought you'd do for yourself was considered selfish. We never went on any vacations or had any collective memories of stuff other than what we went through, which was really awful."

Her childhood trauma and experiences left a lasting effect, with Close saying it has impacted her relationships.

Prince Harry produces the documentary. Photo / Apple TV

She has been married and divorced three times and shares a daughter with a previous long-time partner.

"I have not been successful in my relationships and finding a permanent partner, and I'm sorry about that," she explained.

"I think it's our natural state to be connected like that. I don't think you ever change your trigger points, but at least you can be aware of them, and at least you can maybe avoid situations that might make you vulnerable, especially in relationships."

She joked: "It's probably why we all have our dogs."

Close left the organisation at 22.

She admitted she ended up in therapy to treat the issues triggered by her upbringing and that other members of her family suffered from mental health issues as a result.

Her sister Jessie has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and her nephew suffers from schizophrenia.

"Jessie was always considered the wild one, the rebel, but when she came up to me one summer at my parents' house in Wyoming, her kids were already in the car, and she came up to me and said, 'I need help, I can't stop thinking about killing myself', and for me it was a shock," the star said.

"She ended up in hospital. I took her there. She was finally at age 50 properly diagnosed with bipolar one with psychotic tendencies."