Shirley Henderson reflects on playing 14-year old Moaning Myrtle at 37 in 'Harry Potter' films

"This is ridiculous" Henderson thought, attending the audition dressed to portray a schoolgirl 23 years younger

Shirley Henderson has spoken about the unusual circumstances that led to her casting as Moaning Myrtle in the Harry Potter films, revealing how she convincingly portrayed a character 23 years younger than herself when she first auditioned.

The Scottish actor explained in a recent interview that she was 37 when she tried out for the role of the teenage Hogwarts ghost, a character depicted in the books and films as having died at the age of 14. One of the casting directors advised her to ignore her real age during the process, telling her, “Go for it—and don’t mention your age.”

Henderson recalled attending the audition dressed in a white shirt, black skirt and ponytail to reflect the schoolgirl she was meant to embody. “I went to the audition dressed as a schoolgirl—white shirt, black skirt, ponytail—thinking, ‘This is ridiculous,’” she said. After performing her short scene, she assumed the opportunity had passed until months later when her agent was contacted and she was invited back before being offered the part.

She explained that Myrtle’s ghostly nature helped her bridge the significant age gap, noting that the character’s spectral quality allowed for a degree of visual ambiguity.

Henderson added that the role enabled her to maintain a quieter public profile than many of her co-stars, observing, “I don’t think anybody recognized me at all.”

Her portrayal appeared in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets in 2002 and again in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire in 2005, where the character remained a memorable presence within the film series.