Katie Leung, who played the role of Cho Chang in the Harry Potter film franchise, has spoken candidly about the racist abuse she faced from fans after her casting as a teenager. In a new interview with The Guardian, reported by Variety on January 9, 2026, Leung reflected on how the backlash shaped her personality and professional life during and after her time in the series.
Cast at just 16, Katie Leung joined the films beginning with the 2007 film Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and reprised the role across the franchise’s final installments. While the films brought global recognition, she said the sudden exposure also came with intense scrutiny and online hostility that she was unprepared to navigate.
Looking back, Leung said the experience lingered with her long after the films ended, explaining that “it just sat with me.”
“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”
What Katie Leung said about facing racism while starring in Harry Potter
According to the report by Variety on January 9, 2026, Katie Leung told The Guardian that the reaction to being cast in Harry Potter was “overwhelming from the get-go.” Curious about how audiences were responding, she searched her own name online and encountered racist comments from sections of the fandom.
Leung explained that while acting initially felt like an escape from school, which she said she did not enjoy, the online backlash quickly complicated that sense of relief. She described becoming increasingly self-aware and cautious, particularly about how she spoke and presented herself in public.
“I was very self-aware of what was coming out of my mouth. And for the longest time, I may have tried to make up for it, and overcompensate”
She added that she does not know whether anything could realistically have been done to shield her from those experiences at the time. As a young actor, she felt compelled to look up what people were saying and believed no one could have stopped her from doing so.
“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”
Reflecting years later, Leung said she is still unpacking how that time on Harry Potter affected her decisions and confidence.
Katie Leung says she was told to deny the racism in public
As reported by NBC News on March 11, 2021, Katie Leung previously discussed the problem of racist harassment during an appearance on the Chinese Chippy Girl podcast. She claimed that when journalists brought up the topic during that interview, publicists told her to deny that there was any racist backlash.
Leung claims that even though she saw the remarks, she was instructed to deny the attacks. She remembered accepting that advice even though it went against what she had personally experienced. It was unclear at the time if the publicists worked for the movie studio or on her behalf.
Katie Leung also told NBC News that she had encountered online forums and websites devoted to criticizing her casting, some of which were overtly against her portrayal of Cho Chang. She acknowledged that the abuse was extremely distressing, even though she expressed gratitude for the chance to be a part of Harry Potter.
Katie Leung talks about her acting career
Now in her thirties, Katie Leung says her relationship with acting has changed so many years after the Harry Potter films. In the same Guardian interview cited by Variety on January 9, 2026, she explained that while she still cares deeply about her craft, she no longer allows it to define her entire sense of self. Acting, she said, now feels more like a job than the “be-all and end-all” it once was.
“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. 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”
Leung is preparing to join another major franchise, appearing as Lady Araminta Gun in the upcoming fourth season of Bridgerton. She noted that she is better equipped to separate her work from her personal life and to step away once the day is done.
Her reflections come amid renewed conversations about racism in fandoms, including recent criticism of racist backlash toward casting decisions in newer Harry Potter projects. While Leung did not directly comment on those developments, her experiences offer a longer context, highlighting how such issues have affected actors behind the scenes for years.
Recent controversy surrounding racism in the Harry Potter franchise
Jason Isaacs, who portrayed Lucius Malfoy in the first Harry Potter movies, publicly denounced racist responses to casting decisions in the upcoming HBO series, according to a July 6, 2025, Collider article. Isaacs responded to criticism of Paapa Essiedu, who has been cast as Severus Snape, during a speech at FanExpo Denver.
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Isaacs said that while some online comments were framed as criticism, “what they’re being is racist.” He praised Essiedu’s talent, calling him one of the best actors he has worked with, saying,
“Paapa Essiedu is one of the best actors I’ve ever seen in my life. I’ve seen some people online who are being rude about him. What they’re being is racist”
The new Harry Potter adaptation is being developed for HBO and Max, with Francesca Gardiner as showrunner and Mark Mylod as director and executive producer, according to Collider. Each season is expected to adapt one book, offering a more detailed retelling of the story.
Edited by Devangee
