Molly Hewitt-Richards is heading to Hogwarts as Moaning Myrtle, but her casting announcement has already opened an ugly debate online. The actress has been confirmed to play the memorable ghost in HBO's upcoming Harry Potter series, with her appearance becoming a target for body-shaming comments from some social media users.
The backlash has also sparked a different conversation among Harry Potter fans. Readers of the books have pointed out that Myrtle's appearance is described differently from how she was portrayed in the original films, with several fans arguing that Hewitt-Richards' casting is actually closer to the source material.
Molly Hewitt-Richards Joins Harry Potter S2
Hewitt-Richards has been cast as Moaning Myrtle for the second season of HBO's Harry Potter series, which will cover Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. The announcement was made alongside other Season 2 casting news, including Rafe Spall as Arthur Weasley and Jasper Ambrose as Colin Creevey.
Myrtle is one of Hogwarts' most memorable ghosts. She haunts a girls' bathroom and is known for her constant crying, dramatic outbursts and disruptive behaviour.
Her character also becomes important to Harry, Ron and Hermione as they investigate the Chamber of Secrets. Myrtle remembers seeing the Basilisk before her death, eventually helping the trio piece together what happened.
The HBO adaptation is being developed as a new television version of JK Rowling's books, with each season following another part of Harry's story. Season 2 will therefore bring the events of The Chamber of Secrets back to the screen with a new cast.
Molly Hewitt-Richards has been cast as Moaning Myrtle in HBO’s ‘HARRY POTTER’ Season 2 ‘The Chamber of Secrets’.
— Pop Base (@PopBase) September 15, 2026
(https://t.co/AOdTZXBEQX) pic.twitter.com/SoTc3QqRhp
Cruel Comments Flood Social Media
The casting quickly drew harsh reactions from some X users, many of which focused on Hewitt-Richards' body rather than her acting.
'Doesn't she have to float?' one person wrote, while another seemingly responded that she would be 'the only ghost that can't'. Another commenter joked about her role as a ghost haunting a bathroom, asking: 'How is she gonna fit in the stalls as Moaning Myrtle?'
Some posts were even more insulting, with commenters comparing the character to 'Fatso from Casper' and joking that the show's food budget would be 'tripled'. Another user even wrote: 'I thought it was Moaning Myrtle, not Morbidly Obese Myrtle.'
Several comments also questioned whether Hewitt-Richards would lose weight before filming, adding: 'She doesn't have to be that gargantuan for the role.'
Fans Defend the New Myrtle
Other fans quickly came to Hewitt-Richards' defence, pointing out that Myrtle's physical appearance is part of her book characterisation.
In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Myrtle recalls being bullied at Hogwarts and mentions insults including 'Fat Myrtle!' The official Harry Potter site also describes her as a Hogwarts student who was frequently bullied before her death.
That led some readers to call the new casting 'book accurate'. One fan wrote: 'The books literally describe her as short and plump,' while another said: 'Really making clear who only watched the movies,' taking aim at those who hadn't read the books.
Another comment read: 'The 1 character they get accurate and its the one y'all choose to hate most?'
This one is gonna expose the non book readers pic.twitter.com/wCsetFqQQZ
— Kash (@Kash28__) September 15, 2026
Who Is Molly Hewitt-Richards?
Hewitt-Richards is a British actress who trained at Italia Conti. Before joining the Harry Potter cast, she built credits across theatre and television.
Her stage work includes A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Bridge Theatre and The Secret Garden at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre. Her television credits include ITV's Code of Silence and BBC's Casualty.
She appeared as Jayne in Code of Silence and Georgina Emerick in Casualty, according to her listed screen credits.
