Katie Leung’s Real Age When She Played Harry’s First Love in Harry Potter

Katie Leung went from being Harry Potter's first crush to an actor with a whole career outside Hogwarts. And now she is stepping into Netflix's Bridgerton in a role that sounds primed to stir the Ton. There's some history worth knowing here, both the fun stuff and the not-so-fun stuff she dealt with along the way.

From Hogwarts to that blink-and-you-miss-it Great Hall finale

Leung landed the role of Cho Chang at 16, making her debut in Mike Newell's Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Cho is the smart, reserved Ravenclaw who catches Harry's eye during the Triwizard Tournament while she is dating Cedric Diggory. By Order of the Phoenix, Harry and Cho have a short-lived relationship, and she keeps popping up across the rest of the films. Her final on-screen moment is a quick shot in the post-war Great Hall, confirming she made it out alive.

• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005) - Rotten Tomatoes: 88%
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) - Rotten Tomatoes: 78%
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009) - Rotten Tomatoes: 83%
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010) - Rotten Tomatoes: 76%
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011) - Rotten Tomatoes: 96%

And for anyone keeping track, yes, Part 2 is the 96% one from 2011, while Part 1 is 2010 with 76%.

The ugly side of early fame

As her profile exploded, so did the backlash. On the Chinese Chippy Girl podcast, Leung said she stumbled into fan spaces that were openly racist about her casting and appearance. Some fans even spun up a hate site where people could click a button to register that they 'disagreed' with her being in the films. Teenager, overnight fame, and then that. Brutal.

'I was Googling myself at one point... I remember reading all the comments. And, yeah, it was a lot of racist sh*t.'

Leung says she took it to the professionals. The advice from her publicists back then: do not feed it and do not make it a public talking point. She followed that guidance, and years later told The Herald in 2016 that the way she handled the racism and abuse was to ignore it and focus on the work. Not exactly a satisfying fix, but it kept her moving.

Next stop: Bridgerton season 4

Cut to now: Netflix has confirmed Bridgerton season 4 is officially filming in London, with Luke Thompson and Yerin Ha leading the story as Benedict Bridgerton and Sophie Baek. New faces are joining the ballroom too, including Katie Leung in a major role.

She will play Lady Araminta Gun, a twice-married, twice-widowed newcomer to society arriving with her two daughters, Rosamund and Posy Li. Lady Araminta wants at least one marriage secured this season, and Rosamund has her sights set on Benedict. So, yes, Katie Leung is walking right into the center of the show's most eligible drama.

If you need a quick refresher: Bridgerton comes from creator Chris Van Dusen and executive producer Shonda Rhimes, and its ensemble already includes Nicola Coughlan, Luke Thompson, Claudia Jessie, Ruth Gemmell, Simone Ashley, and Jonathan Bailey. The show sits at 84% on Rotten Tomatoes, and season 4 is the next chapter up.

It is a good look for Leung. She has quietly built out a resume in film, TV, and theater since Potter, and this character gives her a stylish, powerful lane to play in. Curious to see her trade Hogwarts robes for Regency gowns? Same.

Bridgerton is streaming on Netflix. The Harry Potter films are streaming on HBO Max.