Katie Leung, the actress who enchanted audiences as Cho Chang in the Harry Potter franchise and now stars in season four of Netflix's Bridgerton, has opened up about the impact of racist bullying she experienced as a teenager after landing the role.
The actress, who played the love interest of Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) and Cedric Diggory (Robert Pattinson) in 2005's Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, recalled the overwhelming fame that came with starring in the blockbuster fantasy series. "Being in the spotlight from that age, when you're already insecure, was difficult," she told The Guardian. "But at the time, I was having a lot of fun. It was a way to escape from school, which I didn't enjoy."
Leung's excitement about joining the franchise also led to curiosity about what others thought of her casting. "I was very curious about what people were saying about me, and I was Googling myself," she shared. "I think it just sat with me and affected me in ways like, 'Oh yeah, I made that decision because people were saying this about me.' It probably made me less outgoing."
Now, at 38 years old, Leung has learned how to drown out any noise surrounding her work as an actor. "I still care about the craft [of acting], I still want to do well, but I can park it once I'm done for the day and go home and live this other life," she explained. "It's more like a job for me than the be-all and end-all, which is how I felt about acting when I was in my 20s."
Despite the challenges she faced as a teenager, Leung has continued to excel in her career and is now thriving as an actress in her 30s. Her openness about her experiences with racism and bullying serves as a reminder that even the most successful individuals can face obstacles on their journey to success.
