Here’s What Moaning Myrtle From ‘harry Potter’ Looks Like Now
Whenever we start talking about “Harry Potter,” it’s tough to try and focus on one subject whether we hit on the queen that is J.K. Rowling, the overall genius of the series and film, there is just too much.
It’s safe to say, “Harry Potter” was a pivotal point in many kids upbringing, and if it wasn’t, we’re truly sorry. Just look at these youngsters having fun on set!
After re-watching the series a few dozens times that past few weeks, one character that we couldn’t get out of our heads was Moaning Myrtle…probably because she scared us a bit, but nevertheless.
We’ve seen the incredible careers of the main trio, but what ever happened to ugly, miserable, moping, Moaning Myrtle?
Her full name, Myrtle Elizabeth Warren, was a muggle-born, Ravenclaw student who was killed by Salazar Slytherin’s Basilisk, per Lord Voldemort’s orders. She then went on to haunt the girl’s first floor bathroom at Hogwarts.
Ever curious what Moaning Myrtle looks like now? We sure have been, and we did some digging.
Shirley Henderson, who played Myrtle in the series, is now 50 years-old and is as busy as ever. Aside from “Chamber of Secrets” and “Goblet of Fire,” the Scottish born actress has starred in movies like “Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason,” and “Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day.”
While we go and re-watch “Harry Potter” for the 87th time, check out pics from the “Wizarding World of Harry Potter” at Universal in the gallery below!
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Who Is Moaning Myrtle
Moaning Myrtle is, in fact, not played by Daisy Ridley. The character was actually played by Scottish actor Shirley Henderson, who was actually a full-grown adult playing a ghostly teenager!
For those who dont remember, the character plays a major role in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. She had a crush on Harry and lived in the second-floor girls bathroom.
It turns out that she was murdered by the Basilisk, otherwise known as the Serpent of Slytherin. At the time of the crime, it was under the control of Harrys arch-nemesis, Tom Riddle, AKA Voldemort. Still, one things for sure: she wasnt portrayed by Ridley!
Shirley Henderson Returned To One Of Her Signature Films
Plenty of actors jump at the chance to return to the films and worlds that brought them fame and acclaim, and Henderson is no exception. Way back in 2009, director Danny Boyle, on the heels of winning an Academy Award for directing for Slumdog Millionaire, announced that he wanted to make a sequel to his breakout film, Trainspotting. And over the next couple of years, the rumors continued to swirl as the movie’s stars made about the possibility of a Trainspotting part two. Originally, Boyle said he wanted to base the film on Porno, the literary sequel to Irving Welsh’s Trainspotting novel, as well as wait for the film’s original cast to age appropriately so that he could set the story way after the events of the first movie.
Ultimately, T2 was officially greenlit in 2015 and released in 2016, featuring all of the main members of the original cast. Henderson returned as Gail, who married her boyfriend from the original film, Spud , and had a child with him. However, when Spud’s addiction problems take hold, Gail and her son leave him to figure out his own recovery, with some seriously dark results. Renton tries to help the situation, and after the group steals a large sum of money, Spud gives his share to Gail, and as the film ends, the family finally reunites, giving Gail’s story a deservedly optimistic ending.
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Daisy Ridley And The Star Wars Series
Ridley is an essential part of the Skywalker saga. Well, the sequel trilogy at least. She plays Rey, a young Jedi who is trained by Luke Skywalker himself during the events of Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi. Shes then trained by Skywalkers sister Leia during The Rise of Skywalker.
However, shes first introduced in The Force Awakens alongside newcomers Kylo Ren , Finn , and Poe . She quickly forms a close relationship with Han Solo and is even able to fly the Millennium Falcon like a pro.
In The Rise of Skywalker it is also revealed that Rey is actually a Palpatine. In fact, shes the granddaughter of Emperor Palpatine himself.
Every Star Wars fan can agree that Ridley is an essential part of the franchise! Even if she thinks Baby Yoda / Grogu is too cute to use the force!
She Went From Jk Rowling To Leo Tolstoy
Classic works of literature are always ripe for adaptation, and in 2012, director Joe Wright, who’d previously worked on adaptations like Atonement and Pride & Prejudice, embarked on his third collaboration with Keira Knightley when he directed Leo Tolstoy’s epic masterpiece, Anna Karenina. With a screenplay by venerated writer Tom Stoppard, the film retells the timeless story of the aristocratic socialite Anna Karenina , who quietly endures a loveless marriage with her husband Alexei Karenin until she falls in love and begins an affair with the handsome and enigmatic Count Vronsky . In the aftermath, she ends up shunned from society, and when she finds herself backed into a corner, Anna takes some pretty drastic steps.
So what about Shirley Henderson? Well, she plays a small but crucial role as Meme Kartasov, a vengeful society woman horrified to be in Anna’s presence, and though her role in the film is minimal, it turns out to be an extremely important factor in Anna’s eventual downfall.
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Moaning Myrtle Traded Hogwarts For Netflix
With the streaming giants like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime looming over the film and television industry as they produce hit shows and acclaimed films , it stands to reason that established actors would want to get involved in the world of streaming. And Henderson joined the revolution in 2017, teaming up with an acclaimed director for an ambitious project.
Henderson played a pivotal role in Netflix’s Okja, directed by auteur Bong Joon-Ho . The film is about a young girl and her pet pig, whose DNA has been modified to make it completely different and unique. The cast paired established South Korean actors like Byun Hee-bong, Yoon Je-moon, and Choi Woo-shik with Hollywood stars like Tilda Swinton, Jake Gyllenhaal, Paul Dano, Lily Collins, and Steven Yeun. And, of course, there’s Shirely Henderson in a literal supporting role as the assistant to Swinton’s flighty CEO, Lucy Mirando. Besides being one of Netflix’s most critically praised films, the movie also gave Henderson another chance to prove her worth in front of new, international audiences.
She Lived For A Day With Miss Pettigrew
After Harry Potter, Henderson continued her prestigious streak with her next international project, one based on a classic 1938 novel by British writer Winifred Watson. In Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, released in 2008, Academy Award-winning actress Frances McDormand stars as Guinevere Pettigrew, an uptight and troubled woman who has trouble holding a job in London shortly before World War II. Before long, she meets Delysia Lafosse , an American socialite, singer, and actress who invites Guinevere into her home as a social secretary. However, when Guinevere discovers that Delysia is in relationships with three separate men, the situation takes a bit of a turn.
In the film, Henderson plays the crucial supporting role of Edythe Dubarry, a trendsetter and fashion icon who throws lavish parties and is deeply involved with Joe Bloomfield , which is particularly complicated thanks to Guinevere’s crush on Joe. Thanks to a small yet talented cast and positive reviews, Miss Pettigrew continued Henderson’s winning streak after leaving J.K. Rowling’s wizarding world.
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The Muggle Prime Minister
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, referred to as the Muggle Prime Minister by wizards, receives a visit from Cornelius Fudge and Rufus Scrimgeour in the opening chapter of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Using a series of flashbacks, Rowling describes how the Prime Minister is aware of the existence of the wizarding world, through several meetings with Fudge that include his first night as Prime Minister, the night in which Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban, the notification of the incident in the Quidditch World Cup and the announcement of the importation of dragons and a sphinx for the Triwizard Tournament, and finally the Azkaban mass break-out from the fifth book. Rowling intended to include the Prime Minister scene in earlier books, but she thought that it could not properly fit until the sixth book.
In the first chapter of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, the Prime Minister recalls his day, during which one of his political opponents had been criticising him and his government for several catastrophes that have recently happened in Britain. Readers discover a little later during the discussion with Fudge, that these catastrophes are, in fact, the doings of Voldemort and his followers. He also discovers that he is protected by an Auror who now works in his office, Kingsley Shacklebolt.
Will Turner / Orlando Bloom
Will Turner is meant to be around 18 years old in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, while Bloom himself was actually 26 years old at the time. Jude Law, Heath Ledger, Ewan McGregor, Tobey Maguire, Ben Peyton, and Christian Bale were some of the other actors that were considered for the role of Will Turner.
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She Made Two Appearances As Moaning Myrtle
When you rewatch the eight epic Harry Potter films, it probably seems like every single actor in the United Kingdom joined the cast, including Henderson. The film series launched in 2001 with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, and Henderson officially joined the series in its second outing, 2002’s Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, as the ghost known as Moaning Myrtle.
Moaning Myrtle, who died at Hogwarts years before Harry started school, still haunts the bathroom where she died, exacting revenge on her school bullies whenever she can find time to take a break from sobbing in the bathroom and living in the Hogwarts toilets. Despite her difficult nature, she actually proves useful during her interactions with Harry. In Chamber of Secrets, Harry eventually discovers that the mythical monster of Slytherin house, a basilisk, is housed in a secret chamber directly beneath Myrtle’s bathroom , and in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, she assists Harry as he tries to decipher one of his tasks for the multi-school Triwizard Tournament, even though she does so while spying on a 14-year-old while he takes a bath. Perhaps the weirdest part of Henderson’s Potter role is that she was 37 years old when she first played the 14-year-old ghost of Myrtle, but regardless, she fit the role perfectly.
Antioch Cadmus And Ignotus Peverell
The Peverell family is first mentioned in Half-Blood Prince as ancestors of , the maternal grandfather of Voldemort. In the final book of the series, they are revealed to be the original owners of the Deathly Hallows, which, according to The Tales of Beedle the Bard, they received from Death, although Dumbledore believed it is more likely that they created them themselves. The Peverell lineage continues through its living descendants, including Harry and his children.
After Hermione saw the symbol of the Deathly Hallows on Ignotus Peverell’s grave in Godric’s Hollow, Harry recalled Marvolo Gaunt boasting that his ring held the Peverell coat of arms on it, thus realising that the three brothers were the Peverells. Harry deduces that he is descended from Ignotus, as the cloak is passed down through his family. Furthermore, Rowling has confirmed that Harry and Voldemort are indeed distant relatives because of their relation to the Peverells, as the majority of wizard families share common ancestry.
Antioch Peverell was the eldest of the three Peverell brothers, and owner of the Elder Wand. He was killed in his sleep after bragging about the wand’s invincibility, having won a duel with it. The murderer then stole the Elder Wand, thus initiating its bloody history.
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She Played The Wife Of A Famous Comedian
Shirley Henderson continued her strong run in prestigious projects in 2018 when she appeared against an Academy Award-nominated actor in a film that chronicled one of history’s most legendary comic talents. In Stan & Ollie, which stars Oscar nominee John C. Reilly as Oliver Hardy and Steve Coogan as Stan Laurel , the film tells the decades-spanning story of two friends who form a comedic duo and struggle through personal and professional problems on their path to international stardom. As the pair try to get a film made amidst a tumultuous tour throughout the United Kingdom, and as Hardy’s health hits a serious downward spiral, the two eventually hold a successful show in Ireland and work together until Hardy’s untimely death.
The roles of Laurel and Hardy’s wives required two talented actresses who wouldn’t be diminished to simple background players, and Stan & Ollie found that in Henderson, who plays Lucille Hardy, and Nina Arianda, a Broadway star who plays Ida Kitaeva Laurel. During a pivotal scene where Laurel and Hardy argue at a party, during which Hardy angrily tells Laurel that the two aren’t actually friends but only together for comedic convenience, Ida and Lucille argue as well, giving their roles just as much heft as the film’s male leads.
Where Is Harry Potter’s Moaning Myrtle Star Now Including Roles In Bridget Jones And Star Wars
Shirley Henderson played the iconic Harry Potter character back in the early noughties, but she’s also been in some seriously high-profile productions since…
- 22:55, 21 OCT 2021
The Harry Potter film franchise is one of the world’s most well-known, and brought us some very memorable characters.
Moaning Myrtle was up there as one of its most iconic, but did you know the 14 year old school girl was actually played by a 37 year old woman?
In both 2002 and 2005, Shirley Henderson played the role of Moaning Myrtle – the whining ghost who haunts Hogwarts’ toilets – but she’d already played some very well-known characters prior to her role alongside Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint.
Now 55 years old, Shirley looks absolutely nothing like she did as the J.K Rowling character, it’s almost unbelievable.
Throughout her 40-year career, she’s landed acting jobs for productions such as Star Wars, Wild Child, Trainspotting and even a regular supporting role in all of the Bridget Jones films.
But would you be able to spot her? Let’s take a look…
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Scottish actress Shirley hails from Fife in the north of Scotland.
At age 17 she moved her whole life down to London in order to pursue an acting career – and that she did!
In 2001, Shirley was cast as Jude in Bridget Jones’ Diary, perhaps one of her most defining roles.
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Susanna Kaysen / Winona Ryder
Winona Ryder was cast as 18-year-old Susanna Kaysen in Girl, Interrupted, while the actress was actually 28 years of age. Ryder says, in an interview, that if she had seen this movie at the age of 19, she wouldve taken a lot of comfort in it, as it tackles a lot of mental health issues people have to deal with.
Nine Actors Over 30 Who Played Teenagers On Film
I have to confess something. The Internet has, relatively recently, seen an explosion of “professional” list makers, because pop culture lists generate lots of page views and thus lots of ad views. As a result, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for me to write about something that hasn’t already been covered by someone else. Take this particular subject: there are at least a dozen lists and photo galleries, all written within the last couple of years, about adult actors who have played teenage characters. So why should I bother? The difference, as always, is in the depth and quality of the research. Most of those other writers are lazy. You’ll see the same names over and over , they usually get the ages wrong , and those that purport to list the “oldest” actors aren’t even close. For you, dear reader, I always go the extra mile, so I’ve unearthed some rare and authentic examples.
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Shirley Henderson Has Been Working In Theater For Her Entire Career
Despite plenty of huge projects, blockbusters, and international recognition, Shirley Henderson’s true home is on the stage, and throughout her career, she’s always made time to return to different theater projects.
Henderson has appeared in classics and new plays for decades, including Shakespeare’s A Winter’s Tale in 1988, Federico Garcia Lorca’s The House of Bernarda Alba, and Noel Coward’s Girl from the North Country, with her performances spread across the United Kingdom from Glasgow to London. Girl from the North Country proved particularly successful for Henderson, who walked away with an Olivier Award for her starring role as Elizabeth Laine, the titular “girl.” The Moaning Myrtle actress certainly keeps her film slate full, racking up an impressive number of credits over the years, but after getting her start in theater school in London, it seems as if the stage is where her artistic heart truly belongs.