Harry Potter actor Katie Leung has shared her advice for the stars of HBO’s upcoming TV adaptation of the famous books, warning them: “Don’t be dragged down by the noise.”
The Scottish star, now 38, played Cho Chang in four of the Harry Potter films, making her debut as the girlfriend of Cedric Diggory (Robert Pattinson) in 2005’s The Goblet of Fire. Cho later became a love interest for Harry and the pair shared their first kiss in 2007’s Order of the Phoenix.
A new HBO series is now set to introduce Harry Potter to a new generation of viewers with a fresh crop of young actors playing the Hogwarts students.
Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint – who played Harry and his best friend, Ron Weasley – have written to the child stars taking on their roles but speaking to The Independent, Leung said she doesn’t have plans to contact whoever plays Chang.
“I think I would only give her advice if she wanted it from me, because I don't want to underestimate her,” she explained.
Sharing her advice for the young cast, Leung added: “I think it's really important to just have fun and not be kind of dragged down by the noise, whatever that may mean to her… Try and enjoy it as much as you can, just do the work and have fun.”
Reflecting on her own experience of being pushed into the limelight at such a young age, Leung continued: “In retrospect, looking back, I was super insecure as any other 16-year-old would be, and then to be kind of catapulted into this huge franchise and being in the spotlight is a lot to deal with.”
While HBO is yet to announce who will play Cho, it has confirmed the young stars playing the central Gryffindor trio. Dominic McLaughlin will be taking centre stage as The Boy Who Lived, while Arabella Stanton will portray Hermione and Alastair Stout will be Ron. All three actors are 11 years old.
They’ll be joined by a host of famous names playing the grown-up characters, with John Lithgow as Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore and I May Destroy You’s Paapa Essiedu following in the late Alan Rickman’s footsteps by playing Severus Snape.
Hot Fuzz star Nick Frost is taking on the role of Hogwarts groundskeeper Rubeus Hagrid, while comedian and fishing fan Paul Whitehouse is playing caretaker Argus Filch, and Katherine Parkinson has landed the role of Weasley matriarch, Molly.
An airdate is yet to be confirmed but the series is expected to debut in late 2026 or early 2027.
Meanwhile, Leung is about to make her Bridgerton debut, having joined the cast for season four of Netflix's racy drama. She’ll be starring as Lady Araminta Gun, the head of a new family in the Ton, whose daughters are set to cause a stir in the marriage mart.
