From the magical halls of Hogwarts to the opulent ballrooms of the Bridgerton ton, Katie Leung has navigated a unique path through fame. The Scottish actor, who shot to global recognition as Cho Chang in the Harry Potter film series, is now commanding screens as the formidable Lady Araminta Gun in the latest season of Netflix's Regency-era smash hit.
From Cho Chang to a Bridgerton Matriarch
Landing the role of Araminta, a steely widow determined to secure advantageous marriages for her daughters, was a moment of validation for Leung. "I felt really seen to finally get to play the role of a mother," she explains, pointing out that she is a mother in real life to a three-year-old son. While her character's treatment of her stepdaughter Sophie is harsh, Leung was drawn to the complexity. The showrunners assured her it wasn't a simple evil stepmother trope, but a character with humanity, driven by a fierce, if misguided, love for her own children.
Navigating Sudden Fame and Online Abuse
Leung's entry into acting was accidental, sparked by an open audition for Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire that her father suggested. The sudden, overwhelming fame that followed was difficult to process as a teenager. "Being in the spotlight from that age, when you're already insecure, was difficult, to say the least," she reflects. The rise of social media coincided with her time in the franchise, exposing her to horrendous racist abuse and personal attacks online.
"I didn't cope," she admits. "I think it just sat with me." The experience made her more withdrawn and self-conscious, compounded by a feeling that she hadn't earned her success. After the films ended, she felt lost and even stepped away from acting for a time, before rediscovering her passion on stage and later training at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
A Shift in Representation and Self-Belief
For years after drama school, Leung found herself frequently offered roles centred on "epic tales of the east" or stories of trauma. While she valued those projects, she felt limited. She recalls her school yearbook predicting she'd be the next Lucy Liu. "I remember thinking, why not Meryl Streep? I was kind of restricted by my race."
Now, joining the famously diverse world of Bridgerton feels significant. She is envious of the younger generation who get to see more representative leads, like Yerin Ha's Sophie, on screen. "I know it would have done me good," she says. Her role in the BBC's Annika, where her ethnicity wasn't a plot point, and now playing a mother with a full family dynamic in Bridgerton, signals slow but meaningful progress.
Today, Leung has reached a more grounded place. She maintains a healthy distance from the noise of fandom and has learned to advocate for herself. "I'm working on myself, to say what I need," she states, whether in relationships or at work. She is also vocal on social issues, from sexual violence awareness to the crisis in Gaza. With a new Scottish filming project on the horizon, her perspective has fundamentally shifted. "I know who I am. I know what I can do," she asserts, a far cry from the overwhelmed teenager who once Googled herself into despair.
