Katie Leung Opens Up About Life After Harry Potter Fame

Landing a part in one of the world’s most popular film franchises might sound like a dream gig for any young actor. But for Katie Leung, who stepped into the shoes of Cho Chang in the 2005 instalment The Goblet of Fire, the reality was a bit more complicated.

Leung, reflecting on her experience, admitted that the sudden attention at just 18 was a lot to handle.

“I don’t think I did. 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. At the time, I was having a lot of fun. I thought: this is different from school, and I really did not enjoy school. So it was a way to escape. I’m still trying to figure it out, really, how it affected me.

“I don’t know if anything could have been done back then to make things better or easier. 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.”

Facing Online Backlash

What Leung found online was far from supportive. She was met with a barrage of negative comments, many targeting her Chinese background. The impact of these words lingered, shaping her choices and confidence for years to come.

“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. [Success] happened by pure chance. And for the longest time, I may have tried to make up for it, and overcompensate.

“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.”

Life Beyond the Wizarding World

Leung’s experience isn’t unique among the cast. Emma Watson, who played Hermione Granger, has also spoken about the challenges of growing up in the public eye. Last September, she shared that she’s now in a much better place.

“I think what’s interesting about being an actor is, there’s a tendency to sort of fracture yourself into multiple personalities. I’m not just talking about the roles you play, but having the weight of a public persona, that sort of needs constant feeding and sprucing and glamorising. It’s very energy-intensive stuff.

“I think I’ll be honest and straight-forward, and say: I do not miss selling things. I found that to be quite soul-destroying. But I do very much miss using my skillset, and I very much miss the art. I just found I got to do so little of the bit that I actually enjoyed.”