Katie Leung

Biography

Katie Leung (born 8 August 1987; pronounced ) is a Scottish actress. She first gained fame for playing Cho Chang, the titular character's first love interest in the Harry Potter film series, and subsequently for her roles as Caitlyn in the animated series Arcane and Ash in the sci-fi series The Peripheral.

Among British television audiences, Leung is known for her lead roles in the miniseries dramas One Child and Strangers, and for her recurring role as Blair Ferguson in the police dramedy series Annika. In 2012, she made her stage debut in the play Wild Swans, and has since appeared in several other stage productions.

Leung has an interest in the arts, having studied painting and design at the University of the Arts London, and she holds degrees in photography from Edinburgh College of Art and theatre from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

Leung was born in Dundee to Peter Leung, a Hong Kong-born businessman, and restaurateur who opened a company in Glasgow, and Kar Wai Li, a banker. Her parents divorced when she was three, and she continued living in Scotland with her father, stepmother, and siblings after her mother moved back to Hong Kong.

 Her father's occupation led to Leung growing up in multiple cities, including Ayr, Hamilton, and Motherwell. She attended secondary school at Hamilton College.

Leung delayed plans to go to art college and university to film Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. During this period, Leung had said she was undecided about pursuing an acting career after Harry Potter and wished to attend university to study art and design.

Leung has also expressed a passion for photography. In 2009, she donated a photo to Sightsavers International's I: Click 2009 competition, with benefits going to treat and prevent blindness for residents of impoverished countries. 

While appearing in Wild Swans, Leung worked to complete her photography degree at Edinburgh College of Art.

Leung attended the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow, where she completed the BA in Acting course.

On 19 August 2018, Leung participated in the wedding of her Harry Potter castmate, Afshan Azad.

On 1 January 2023, for New Year's Day, Leung revealed on Instagram that her son Wolf had been born the previous Halloween.

Leung speaks fluent Cantonese and basic Mandarin. She is a vegetarian.