Katie Leung, best known for playing Cho Chang in the Harry Potter films, has joined the cast of Netflix's Regency hit Bridgerton as Lady Araminta Gun, a widowed aristocrat who treats her stepdaughter Sophie as a servant in a Cinderella-style plot. Leung, now a mother herself, says she felt 'really seen' to play a mother role, despite initially auditioning for the romantic lead. 'Absolutely not,' she laughed when asked if she was disappointed. 'I look young for my age – as most people in the west think Asians do – but I felt really seen to finally get to play the role of a mother.'
The showrunners assured Leung that Araminta would not be a stereotypical evil stepmother. 'They wanted to find the humanity in Araminta,' she explained. 'They wanted to ensure I knew her background, her struggles, why she makes these decisions, and why she’s so formidable.' Leung acknowledges that Araminta does 'awful things' but believes her drive comes from love and protection for her daughters. 'I get it, having become a mum,' she said. 'You will do anything for your kids. I don’t think I would have felt that way before.'
Leung is no stranger to massive productions, having started her career in Harry Potter. She described joining Bridgerton as 'blessed' and 'familiar,' adding that she is now older and less fazed by huge projects. The Harry Potter films coincided with the rise of social media and extreme online fandom, which brought Leung horrendous online abuse. She has since learned to maintain a healthy distance from the noise. 'I still care about the craft, 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 said.
Leung also campaigns against sexual violence and speaks out on social issues, including the rise of the far right and anti-immigrant rhetoric in the UK. 'I feel as if I’ve experienced it, in the supermarket, in day-to-day life,' she said. 'I’m very aware that I live in a bubble in London, because if there’s anywhere that’s diverse, it’s London.' She grew up in Scotland and stumbled into acting after her father spotted an open audition for Harry Potter. She was less interested in the role than in getting her divorced parents in the same room, hoping they might reunite. 'My mum and dad hadn’t seen each other for a long time, but I was really excited,' she recalled.
