Harry Potter has almost too many characters to keep track of, so it’s no wonder that, while adapting the books, the films had to cut down several roles. While some are removed from the story entirely, others have a reduced role. A prominent example is Rita Skeeter (Miranda Richardson), who is introduced in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire as a journalist for the Daily Prophet, who spreads gossip about Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) and his friends. Some of what Rita Skeeter writes is true, and some of it is blatant lies, but the biggest issue is her inexplicable ability to know things she shouldn’t. Or, at least, inexplicable in the films. The book has an entire subplot that reveals how Rita Skeeter gets her information and what happens to her afterward, including criminal activity, blackmail, and Hermione Granger (Emma Watson).
Rita Skeeter takes a particular interest in Harry when she comes to report on the Triwizard Tournament. Certainly, as The Boy Who Lived and the only contestant to defy the new age rule, he offers a good story for her readers, which is Rita Skeeter’s primary concern. But she quickly crosses the line as she takes liberties in her description of Harry and spreads a rumor about him and Hermione being in a relationship. In the film, Harry gets irritated with her but, understandably, has more pressing concerns. However, the book goes further into the story as Hermione develops a particular interest in uncovering Rita Skeeter’s secret.
Hermione eventually discovers that the journalist is an Animagus, meaning she can turn into an animal — in Rita Skeeter’s case, a beetle. In this discrete form, Rita Skeeter spies on the people in the school, hearing things that were never meant to be public knowledge and using that information in her articles when she is not making up lies. However, unlike most Animagi, she is not registered with the Ministry of Magic, making her activity not only invasive but illegal. Hermione traps Rita Skeeter in a jar while in her beetle form and uses her knowledge to blackmail the journalist into not writing more harmful articles, though a lot of damage has already been done.
Rita Skeeter Continues to Play a Role in the Harry Potter Series
Forced to take a break from her career or else face consequences for illegally becoming an Animagus, Rita doesn’t reappear in the films until Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 when she writes The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore, but in the books, Hermione uses her power over Rita to try and combat the rumors about Harry during the event of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Hermione directs Rita to write a fully accurate article about Harry, and knowing the Daily Prophet will not publish it, they arrange for Xenophilius Lovegood (Rhys Ifans) to put it in The Quibbler. Though it becomes the most popular edition of The Quibbler, the interview cannot combat the Minstry’s propaganda until the truth comes out when Voldemort shows up in the Ministry of Magic, despite Rita Skeeter fulfilling her end of the bargain.
The book shows Rita Skeeter back to her old tricks when she writes The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore and sensationalizes the information. But even with her negative take on Dumbledore (Michael Gambon), the book is based on fact. Though Hermione’s threats may have stopped her from using her Animagus form, the book implies that Rita Skeeter still uses underhanded methods of interviewing, suggesting she used Veritiserum to force Bathilda Bagshot (Hazel Douglas) to talk. Rita Skeeter even inscribed the book she sent to the old woman with the words, “You said everything, even if you don’t remember it,” proving the journalist to still be less than ethical.
Why Did the Harry Potter Films Cut Rita Skeeter’s Secret?
The films reduced Rita Skeeter’s role, in large part because they didn’t explore the truth behind her articles in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Not only does this change save time for the main plot, but it also avoids the issue of Hermione’s ruthless nature. Hermione blackmailing Rita Skeeter, especially after the books show her struggling financially, shows Hermione playing dirty. While it adds complexity to the character, it’s easier to root for a hero who isn’t blackmailing journalists in her spare time.
In the film, Hermione’s behavior would seem worse because it doesn’t show the ramifications of Rita Skeeter’s vicious pieces. Hermione gets hate mail because Rita’s readers believe she broke Harry’s heart. Harry is cruelly teased for her lies. Her reveal of Hagrid’s (Robbie Coltrane) giant parentage threatens his job. Rita Skeeter is the first to describe Harry as “disturbed and dangerous,” which sets the Daily Prophet up to discredit him in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. The result of Rita Skeeter’s lies explains (if not justifies) Hermione’s actions. While it is disappointing this storyline didn’t make it into the films, there wasn’t time for the full subplot, yet there is enough of it to make it odd that Rita Skeeter’s ability to seemingly hear everything is never explained.
