Shirley Henderson will forever be linked to the “Harry Potter” franchise thanks to her role as Moaning Myrtle in 2002’s “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.” It’s a role she landed only after being advised by the movie’s casting director not to mention her age to others. That’s because Henderson was 37 years old, auditioning to play a 14-year-old schoolgirl.
“The casting director said, ‘Go for it — and don’t mention your age,’” Henderson recalled in an interview with The Independent. “When I was first asked for an audition, I didn’t know who Harry Potter was. But my sister, who was staying with me, had read the books. Still, I wasn’t convinced I could play a 14-year-old girl because I was in my 30s at the time.”
According to Henderson, one of the film’s casting directors thought she was the right actor for the job and never revealed her age to the rest of the crew during the audition process.
“I went to the audition dressed as a schoolgirl — white shirt, black skirt, ponytail — thinking, ‘This is ridiculous,’” Henderson said. “I did my wee bit for them and they thanked me. Months went by and I thought that was it, but then they phoned my agent, asked to see me again, and offered me the part… Myrtle is an old person in a young person’s body and because she’s ghosty, there’s a kind of mistiness. You’re not looking closely at my face, so we could get away with it.”
Henderson added that she was able to maintain her privacy after the movie came out, unlike many of her fellow “Harry Potter” costars. She said, “I don’t think anybody recognized me at all.”
Henderson was already an established actor by the time she landed the role of Moaning Myrtle, having starred in films like “Trainspotting” and “Topsy-Turvy.” She was nominated for the London Film Critics Circle Award for supporting actress of the year for the latter performance. Post-“Harry Potter,” Henderson went on to star in “Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason,” “Marie Antionette,” “Meek’s Cutoff” and more.
Head over to The Independent’s website to read Henderson’s latest profile in its entirety.
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From Variety US