12/13/2025
Shirley Henderson, who portrayed Moaning Myrtle in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, recently shared that she was 37 when she auditioned for the role of the eternally 14-year-old ghost.
The casting director advised her not to mention her age, so she dressed as a schoolgirl and delivered a “wee bit of moaning.” Despite the age difference, she was cast in the role.
Henderson notes that the ghostly, misty quality of Myrtle’s appearance helped make the age gap believable on screen.