Katie Leung has spoken candidly about the racism she faced after her breakthrough role in the Harry Potter series.
Leung played Cho Chang, Harry Potter’s love interest, in five of the series’ films, beginning her journey in the magical world in 2005.
Since her time in the wizarding world, the Scottish actress has appeared in films and television series such as Strangers, The Foreigner, Annika, and The Peripheral, and is set to appear in the upcoming season of Bridgerton on Netflix.
Now aged 38, Leung was a teenager when she first stepped into the Harry Potter universe, an experience she now reveals was quite challenging.
During a conversation with The Guardian, Leung discussed how she coped with the sudden fame resulting from her role in Harry Potter.
“I don’t think I did,” she confessed. “It was overwhelming from the get-go. Being in the spotlight from that age, when you’re already insecure, was difficult, to say the least.”
Leung continued: “At that age, you’re curious. I remember being very curious about what people were saying about me, and I was Googling myself. Nobody could have stopped me because I was old enough to make up my own mind.”
It was through these online searches that she encountered distressing racist remarks, which she feels impacted her social behavior.
Reflecting on these experiences, Leung noted: “I think it just sat with me, and it affected me in ways like, ‘Oh yeah, I made that decision because people were saying this about me.’
“It probably made me less outgoing. I was very self-aware of what was coming out of my mouth.”
Following her success in Harry Potter, Leung was concerned she would never surpass such a prominent role and took a hiatus from acting, opting to pursue a degree in photography instead.
Discussing the end of the franchise, she explained: “I remember coming out of it and thinking, ‘Nothing’s going to beat it’, because it was so successful.
“I remember being lost, going, ‘What’s next? People will have these high expectations of me topping it, and it’s never going to happen’. I think I was so afraid of meeting these expectations that I gave up, or didn’t give myself the chance, after it, to try and continue acting.”
Her passion for acting was reignited near the completion of her photography studies when she secured a part in a play.
Leung’s career now boasts over 30 acting credits, as listed on IMDb.
If you have been the victim of discrimination, you can report it via the US Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division here. In an emergency, always call 911.