Katie Leung, who famously played Cho Chang in the “Harry Potter” movies, has spoken about the racist abuse she received online after being cast. In a recent interview with The Guardian, Leung explained that the negative reaction from fans likely made her more reserved.
Katie Leung began her work on the Harry Potter films with Order of the Phoenix in 2007, and her sudden rise to fame quickly brought unwanted attention and harassment. She explained, “It was overwhelming right away,” describing how difficult it was to deal with so much publicity at a young age.
Growing up in the public eye while already feeling insecure was really tough. I was having a good time then, and honestly, I didn’t like school, so it felt like a way to get away from that. I’m still trying to understand exactly how it all impacted me.
Leung confessed she used to look online to see what fans thought of her being cast in the role. She played Cho Chang, Harry Potter’s first crush, and was a member of Dumbledore’s Army in Order of the Phoenix. Leung later returned as Cho Chang in Half-Blood Prince (2009) and both Deathly Hallows films (2010–2011).
She admitted she wasn’t sure if anything could have lessened the impact of the racist criticism she faced. She explained that, as a young person, she was naturally curious and even searched online to see what people were saying about her. She added that, being old enough to think for herself, no one could have prevented her from doing so.
Leung explained that the experience changed her social behavior. She realized she often made decisions based on what others were saying, which made her more reserved and self-conscious about how she spoke. For a long time, she felt she needed to overcompensate for what had happened.
She remembered being told by her publicists to always deny any accusations of racism in interviews. She recalled them saying, “Just say it’s not true, and that you haven’t seen those websites people are talking about.”
I was really struck by something Leung shared on the “Chinese Chippy Girl” podcast back in 2021. He described a situation where, even after witnessing something firsthand, he found himself just agreeing with a statement, nodding along and pretending everything was fine. He essentially said he went through the motions, saying ‘Okay, okay,’ and assuring everyone things were great, despite knowing better. It was a really telling moment about the pressure to conform.
Currently, Gemma Leung is getting ready to play Lady Araminta Gun in the fourth season of the Netflix series Bridgerton. She says her approach to acting has evolved. In an interview with The Guardian, she explained that while she still takes her work seriously, she’s now able to separate it from her personal life more easily. She views acting as a job, a shift from her 20s when she felt it was everything.
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2026-01-11 02:16