Harry Potter Fans Make Wild Confession After Moaning Myrtle Actor Reveals Her Real Age During Filming

Harry Potter fans have been admitting that when they were younger, they truly believed the filmmakers had pulled off a sneaky shortcut when it came to portraying the character of Moaning Myrtle. The realization has sparked plenty of surprised reactions from long-time viewers.

The Harry Potter films remain one of the most successful movie franchises in history, and fans still revisit the series years after its release. Recently, though, some viewers confessed to a funny and unexpected misunderstanding about one particular character.

Moaning Myrtle, who first appeared in the second movie, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, wasn’t featured often, but her scenes left a lasting impression thanks to her dramatic and chaotic presence. Even so, the actress behind the character, Shirley Henderson, stood out for a very different reason that most fans had no idea about.

While Myrtle is portrayed as a young ghost who died in her school years, the actress playing her was nowhere near school age. Shirley Henderson was actually 37 when she auditioned for the role, something many fans are only just learning today.

Speaking to the Independent about how she landed the part, Henderson said: "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."

"I went to the audition dressed as a schoolgirl — white shirt, black skirt, ponytail — thinking, 'This is ridiculous.'"

Henderson auditioned for the Moaning Myrtle role when she was in her 30s rune hellestad/Corbis via Getty Images

She eventually received a call telling her she had won the role. The filmmakers felt confident that the ghostly visual effects and Myrtle’s misty appearance would make it believable, regardless of Henderson’s age.

But that decision has stunned many fans, especially those who grew up watching the movies. Several admitted they spent years thinking Moaning Myrtle was actually Daniel Radcliffe wearing a wig and putting on a voice.

Writing on Reddit, one viewer said: "They definitely fooled me. I spent years thinking she's just Daniel Radcliffe in a wig."

Fans were sure Moaning Myrtyle was just Daniel Radcliffe Warner Bros

Another fan chimed in and wrote: "I also thought she was Daniel Radcliffe in a wig until right now! I had no idea."

A third added their own reaction: "I thought that too!! During his Google auto complete interview he was baffled that him being moaning myrtle was a search result, but it seems to be a common misconception lol."

Surprisingly, yet another agreed and said: "Yeah because some of us were pretty young watching the second movie and thought she was Daniel Radcliffe in a wig."

It seems this strange little theory was far more common than most people realized. Somehow, many fans missed the memo back when the films were released, and only now are discovering that they weren’t alone in their childhood confusion. Wild how these things spread on the playground, right?