Shirley Henderson was significantly older than the character she played in the Harry Potter films!
People might be shocked to learn about the age difference between the Scottish actress in real life and her spectral teenager in Chamber of Secrets and Goblet of Fire.
Keep reading to find out more…
Shirley, 60, spoke with The Independent for an interview that was published last week about how she was actually a 37-year-old playing the eternally 14-year-old ghost known as Moaning Myrtle in the Harry Potter films.
“The casting director said, ‘Go for it – and don’t mention your age,’” she shared, adding that she’d done a “wee bit of moaning” and then landed the role.
But while many Harry Potter stars were able to launch their careers off the back of the fantasy series, Shirley says she doesn’t think people recognized her.
As for the actual scenes, Myrtle was often found haunting the bathroom where she originally died, so they mostly took place with her alone and in front of a green screen. Still, she says it was a “nice job.”
Currently, the Bridget Jones Diary actress is doing promo for her dark new Channel 4 drama Summerwater.
Both Rupert Grint and Daniel Radcliffe have reached out to the young actors playing Ron and Harry in the new HBO series.
