Katie Leung

[Tiny Dancer]

Oh my god, I am so excited about the movie!
She is gorgeous

 

[truebluejen]

She looks gorgeous here! (source: dailyrecord.co.uk)

UNKNOWN Scot Katie Leung has become the envy of millions of girls as the actress who will kiss Daniel Radcliffe in Harry Potter.
But the 18-year-old from Motherwell, who plays Cho Chang, admits that in real life 16-year-old Daniel is just too young for her.
However, the young actor might be in luck - when he grows up.
Katie added: "I have a boyfriend at the moment, but if Daniel was older he might stand a chance."
This may infuriate the same fans who started up "I hate Katie" websites because in book five and the next film to be made, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the pair share a kiss under the mistletoe.
Katie dismisses the twisted internet hate campaign claiming all the fan mail she's had has been encouraging.

She said: "They say things like 'You're just like the Cho I imagined'. And 'I'm really excited to see you as Cho Chang; she's my favourite character'. It's great.

"It's interesting because Cho is based so much on an image that Harry has.

"He doesn't really get to know what she's like but he's attracted to her looks. In some ways it's the same with the fans because there are so many Harry Potter fans out there. There are going to be so many perceptions of Cho, and you just can't satisfy everyone.

"I haven't seen any of the internet stuff so I haven't experienced that negativity. It really hasn't affected me at all. If it was another girl, I would feel sorry for her, but it's me and it hasn't affected me at all."

Katie, who recently passed five Highers at Hamilton College, won the part of Cho in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire over 5000 other girls during an open casting call in February 2004.

The Scot had no acting experience or coaching and it was her dad Peter (who she lives with and who is divorced from her mum Kar Wai) who saw an advertisement on a Chinese television channel for the casting call.

She added: "I was reluctant at first as I have never acted and I didn't want to make a fool of myself.

"But we both wanted the opportunity to go to London, so it was purely for a bit of fun. Through that, though, I discovered I could act."

Down in London Katie admits she was perhaps more relaxed than the other girls because she didn't think she'd get the part and was just there to enjoy the experience.

However her Scottish accent helped her stand out from the other hopefuls, even when she was put off by the film's director Mike Newell.

She explained: "When I was at my audition I didn't realise it was Mike walking in and out of the room when I was doing the improvisations.

"I was thinking, 'Who is this guy? Oh God, he's really annoying me because I'm trying to do my thing here and he's distracting me'. Then I realised at the end when he said to me 'What drama school do you go to?' And I said 'Well, actually I don't go to drama school. I've never acted before'.

"He was flabbergasted. I think that's when I realised maybe I had a chance.

"There was also the fact that I come from Scotland because all the girls around me were English and had the English accent and I think I stood out with my Scottish one."

With Harry creator J. K. Rowling an adopted Scot who wrote the books in Edinburgh there is a big Scottish flavour to the films in terms of locations and in some of the casting.

Robbie Coltrane has played Hagrid in all the films so far and David Tennant, the new Doctor Who, plays Barty Crouch Junior in the new film.

By being part of Harry Potter, Katie leapfrogs dozens of actors into the big league of world-famous Scots such as Sean Connery and Ewan McGregor.

And she said: "I think it's great that I come from Scotland and there are so few stars from here, but then I don't consider myself celebrity material."

She plays Cho with a Scots accent in the film and is proud that she could do that, adding: "It'll be a change. It doesn't say that in the book."

Cho is Harry's first crush and he asks her to the Yule Ball, but she knocks him back. Instead she goes with Cedric Diggory, played by Robert Pattinson, leaving Harry distraught.

But Katie points out that Cho isn't being nasty - just faithful. She said: "She's got a boyfriend in the film so nothing can happen between her and Harry.

"All that's involved between Harry and Cho is teasing and a lot of flirting and looking. She's not an unfaithful person in character; she wouldn't cheat on her boyfriend or anything."

And she heaps praise on Daniel, claiming he was "so down-to-earth".

While the film is about Harry competing in the Triwizard Tournament, one of the biggest scenes is the Yule Ball where Hogwarts hosts a huge Christmas party for its pupils and the visiting students from Beauxbatons Academy and Durmstrang Institute, who are competing in the Tournament.

Katie admitted: "It was hard at the beginning. But I think everyone was so up for it because the dancing sequence was so amazing that everyone wanted to learn it.

"But my partner Robert Pattinson (Cedric) and I were dire. We were absolutely rubbish. The teacher would praise everyone except us. But at the end, we came out top. It was hard because it all had to be co-ordinated."

Katie spent nine months away from home, going to Motherwell at weekends, and was tutored, like all the other main cast, by a private tutor as she was studying for her Highers.

As well as being a hit on screen, she also did well at her Highers passing five - English, Maths, Chemistry, Biology and Art.

She should be going to university, but is thinking about being a full-time actress. She said: "Before I got the part I wanted to attend university and study design or something, but I hadn't set my mind on a particular career. So this has started me off.

"Acting could be a possibility, but I don't want to rely on it, so I guess I'll just have to wait and see how it goes.

"I can go back to university any time - this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

And is she in the next film the, Order Of The Phoenix, which is due out in 2007 and will see Harry kissing Cho?

Katie smiled: "Hopefully. I haven't heard about it, but yeah, her character's in the next one#Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is out on Friday​

​

 

[eternitygoddess]

she also did well at her Highers passing five - English, Maths, Chemistry, Biology and Art.

Can anyone tell me what Highers are?

 

[eternitygoddess]

Its ok for mortal kombat games but not to an entire generation of kids. Why not just cast yourself as 'ping pong'..

LMAO!!!

 

[truebluejen]

They are the highest qualifications at High School in Scotland.

 

[pandinha]

All from justjared.com. GoF promos!

 

[eternitygoddess]

^She's only going to be famous for two Harry Potter movies. Whoever plays Luna Lovegood is going to get big next.

 

[mjfan]

I love her dress at the NY premiere (gettyimages.com)

Great dress! I think she's petite/slim enough to carry alot of styles well.

 

[xtine888]

I'm liking her more and more everyday. I love that interview they had with her, posted by truebluejen (thanks!). She seems so down to earth, not distracted/seduced by fame at all. And she looks great in that accompanying picture. :-)

 

[truebluejen]

I'm liking her more and more everyday. I love that interview they had with her, posted by truebluejen (thanks!). She seems so down to earth, not distracted/seduced by fame at all. And she looks great in that accompanying picture. :-)

yw
Yeah, Im sure she has a great career ahead of her!
The Daily Record has interviews with different stars of the film everyday this week! Its Daniel Radcliffe today.

 

[Dreamland]

her face is so blah, so average. and her fashion sense... it seems like she is still trying to find herself.

 

[pucci_mama]

Why are people being so negative??

 

[Tinuviel]

the girl is only 18, give her a break.

 

[Dreamland]

Why are people being so negative??

i'm not being negative. it is solely my opinion. am i not entitled to an opinion? i've posted in other threads many many positive comments, in fact, this is one of very few posts, where i've stated that her fashion sense is blah. you and i are different and that's why we're here at this forum--to discuss. you and i don't have to agree, and we're not here to discuss why i like her or not. i hope i answered your question.

 

[musegirl]

^She's only going to be famous for two Harry Potter movies. Whoever plays Luna Lovegood is going to get big next.

yea tht'll prob be the case

 

[CTstyle]

I'm not crazy about her NYC premiere dress, but I think she's very pretty. She looks exactly how I always envisioned Cho would look like. She looks very sweet. I think Cho Chang is a sweet girl (until the 5th book when she acts like an immature teenage girl.....of course, she is an immature teen girl, so that's a pretty good excuse, hehe.) I felt sorry for her in the 6th book. She was so embarrassed whenever she saw Harry!

 

[simple_elegance]

we haven't seen her at many events, so we can't exactly decide whether you/i/we like her sense of style or not.

 

[touch]

In my opinion she looks very nice with make-up, but her natural face I don't like it, the dress in London premier was really cute. I don't know much stuff about her yet, she has a few lines in Hp, so maybe when she does something else I can have a better opinion of her.

 

[jennifer716]

In the chinese culture, those with really flat noses are considered ugly. That's why lots of chinese girls in HK especially now are opting for nose jobs to make their noses sharper.

Katie has one of the widest, flattest noses I have ever seen.

 

[LAlights]

Not gonna lie...I don't find her to be very pretty. I do like the Matthew Williamson dress though...It sucks that the only asian roles out there have to invlolve either karate or some other type of martial arts...jackie chan, Jet Lee, etc. And in this case...her name has to be Cho Chung?...why cant there be any non stereo typed roles out there?! Hoping that this girl might branch out and not follow in the footsteps of another karate action hero of some sort...lol. sigh.