From a chance audition in Glasgow to becoming the voice behind one of gaming’s most beloved characters, Katie Leung’s journey represents both serendipity and dedication in equal measure. This 38-year-old Scottish actress captured hearts worldwide as Cho Chang in the Harry Potter films before establishing herself as a versatile performer across stage, screen, and voice acting. Her transformation from a shy teenager with no acting experience to voicing Caitlyn Kiramman in Netflix’s Emmy-winning series “Arcane” showcases a career built on resilience and artistic growth.
Who is Katie Leung
Katie Leung is a Scottish actress born on August 8, 1987, in Dundee, Scotland. She gained international recognition for portraying Cho Chang, Harry Potter’s first love interest, in the Harry Potter film series (2005-2011). More recently, she has achieved acclaim as the voice of Caitlyn Kiramman in the Netflix animated series “Arcane” (2021-2024) and as Ash in Amazon Prime Video’s “The Peripheral” (2022).
Katie Leung Biography / Wiki
| Field | Details |
| Full Name | Katie Liu Leung |
| Date of Birth | August 8, 1987 |
| Age | 38 years (as of January 2026) |
| Birthplace | Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom |
| Hometown | Motherwell, North Lanarkshire, Scotland |
| Zodiac Sign | Leo |
| Nationality | Scottish |
| Ethnicity | Chinese (Hong Kong and Chinese heritage) |
| Languages | English, Cantonese, some Mandarin |
| Profession | Actress, Voice Actress |
| Years Active | 2005–present |
| Education | Hamilton College; Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| Notable Roles | Cho Chang (Harry Potter), Caitlyn (Arcane), Ash (The Peripheral) |
| Children | 1 son (Wolf, born October 31, 2022) |
Katie Leung Education
Katie Leung attended Hamilton College, a prestigious private school in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, Scotland. Her school did not have a drama department, and she was not involved in theatrical activities during her secondary education. After beginning her acting career with Harry Potter, Leung pursued formal training at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (formerly the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama).
She also studied at the University of the Arts London to develop her artistic skills. Her formal education in acting came after she had already achieved international fame, demonstrating her commitment to developing her craft professionally.
Early Life
Katie Leung was born on August 8, 1987, in Dundee, Scotland, to Peter Leung and Kar Wai Li. Her father, Peter Leung, is a Hong Kong-born businessman and restaurateur who established businesses in Glasgow, including a restaurant, wholesale business in Chinese cuisine, and other ventures. Her mother, Kar Wai Li Leung, worked as a banker.
Her parents divorced when she was three years old. Following the divorce, her mother moved back to Hong Kong while Katie continued living in Scotland with her father, stepmother, and siblings. She has one brother, Jonathan, one sister, Violet, and half-siblings including Nichole, Darren, and Will.
Due to her father’s business ventures, Leung grew up in several Scottish towns including Ayr, Hamilton, and Motherwell. She described herself as a very shy child without an outgoing personality. Growing up in a Chinese immigrant family in Scotland, she was exposed to both Scottish and Chinese cultures, becoming fluent in English and Cantonese with some knowledge of Mandarin.
Katie Leung Profession
Katie Leung is a professional actress specializing in film, television, theatre, and voice acting. She works across multiple mediums including major film productions, television series, stage performances, and animated projects. Her versatility allows her to transition seamlessly between on-camera roles and voice work.
Beyond screen acting, Leung has established a significant presence in British theatre, performing at prestigious venues including the National Theatre, Royal Court Theatre, and Hampstead Theatre. She has also worked as an audiobook narrator for titles including “Mirrorland,” “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland,” and “1979”. Her professional skill set encompasses dramatic performance, voice characterization, and physical theatre.
Katie Leung Career Journey
Katie Leung’s acting career began unexpectedly in 2004 when her father saw an advertisement for a Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire casting call and encouraged her to audition. Despite having no previous acting experience, she waited four hours in line for a five-minute audition. Two weeks later, she was called back for a workshop and was cast as Cho Chang, beating more than 3,000 other girls for the role.
Her Scottish accent likely gave her an advantage, as the casting director specifically asked if anyone from Scotland was present at the audition, and only Leung raised her hand. She made her film debut in “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” (2005), appearing in three subsequent Harry Potter films: “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” (2007), “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” (2009), and “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2” (2011).
Being cast in Harry Potter as a teenager brought both opportunities and challenges. During her time in the franchise, Leung experienced significant racist abuse from fans online, including hate websites dedicated to criticizing her casting. She was allegedly advised by publicists to deny the existence of this abuse when asked about it publicly. Despite these difficulties, she has expressed gratitude for the opportunities the films provided.
After completing the Harry Potter series, Leung considered quitting acting altogether. However, she decided to pursue formal training at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland to develop her craft properly. This decision marked a turning point in her career, allowing her to approach acting with greater skill and confidence.
Leung transitioned successfully to theatre, performing in prestigious productions including “Wild Swans,” “The World of Extreme Happiness” at the National Theatre, “You For Me For You” at the Royal Court, and “Iho” by Tony Kushner at Hampstead Theatre. These stage roles demonstrated her range beyond the character that made her famous.
She also appeared in television series including BBC’s “Father Brown” crime drama and the TV miniseries “One Child” (2014), where she played Mei, a Chinese child adopted by Western parents who returns to Guangzhou to help her birth mother. In 2017, she appeared in the action thriller film “The Foreigner” starring Jackie Chan.
Her career reached new heights with voice acting work. In 2021, she was cast as Caitlyn Kiramman in Netflix’s animated series “Arcane,” based on the video game “League of Legends”. This marked her first major voice acting role, and she received widespread praise for her performance. Leung described the experience as collaborative, working closely with writers, creators, and directors to develop her interpretation of Caitlyn.
“It has to be my own take on Caitlyn at the end,” Leung explained in an interview with ONE Esports. She found voice acting liberating, noting that “you can hear so much more in the voice than you think you can” and that truthfulness in performance comes through regardless of what audiences can see. “Arcane” ran for two seasons (2021-2024) and won multiple Emmy Awards.
In 2022, she appeared as Ash in Amazon Prime Video’s science fiction series “The Peripheral,” further expanding her portfolio in genre television. As of January 2026, Leung continues to work across multiple mediums while based in London.
Katie Leung Movies and TV Shows
Films:
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005) – Cho Chang
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) – Cho Chang
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009) – Cho Chang
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011) – Cho Chang
- The Foreigner (2017)
- Run (mentioned)
Television Series:
- Father Brown (BBC)
- One Child (2014) – Mei
- The Peripheral (2022) – Ash
Animated Series:
- Arcane (2021-2024) – Caitlyn Kiramman (voice)
Theatre:
- Wild Swans
- The World of Extreme Happiness (National Theatre)
- You For Me For You (Royal Court)
- Iho by Tony Kushner (Hampstead Theatre)
Katie Leung Awards
Specific individual awards won by Katie Leung have not been extensively documented in publicly available sources. However, she was part of the “Arcane” production team that won multiple Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Animated Program. The series received widespread critical acclaim and numerous accolades during its run from 2021 to 2024.
Her work in theatre and film has been critically recognized, though specific award nominations or wins for her individual performances have not been publicly reported.
Katie Leung Controversies
Katie Leung was subjected to significant racist abuse from Harry Potter fans following her casting as Cho Chang in 2005. As a 16-year-old discovering internet fandom culture, she encountered “a lot of racist shit” in comment sections and message boards, including hate websites specifically created to criticize her casting.
In a March 2021 interview with the podcast “Chinese Chippy Girl,” Leung revealed that publicists allegedly advised her to deny the existence of this racist abuse when asked about it. She recalled: “I remember them saying to me, ‘Oh, look, Katie, we haven’t seen these, these websites that people are talking about. And, you know, if you get asked that, just say it’s not true, say it’s not happening.’ And I just nodded my head. I was like, ‘Okay, okay,’ even though I had seen it myself with my own eyes”.
Leung expressed lingering regret about taking the advice to remain silent at the time, though she did not clarify whether the publicists were directly associated with the Harry Potter franchise. She stated she remains “so grateful” to have been part of the films despite these negative experiences. Warner Bros, the studio behind the Harry Potter films, was contacted for comment but specific responses have not been documented.
Katie Leung Personal Life
Katie Leung currently resides in London. She maintains connections to her Scottish roots while building her career in England’s theatre and entertainment industry. She has traveled extensively throughout her career, visiting countries including America, Japan, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Turkey.
On January 1, 2023, Leung revealed on Instagram that she had given birth to a son named Wolf on October 31, 2022 (Halloween). She has kept details about Wolf’s father and her romantic relationships largely private. Leung balances her professional commitments with motherhood while continuing to work on various acting projects.
She maintains an active social media presence, with approximately 1.9 million Instagram followers and 181,000 Twitter followers as of 2021. Through these platforms, she shares updates about her professional work and select aspects of her personal life.
Katie Leung Height and Physical Appearance
| Feature | Details |
| Height | 5′ 4½” (1.64 m) |
| Eye Colour | Black / Dark Brown |
| Hair Colour | Black |
| Build | Slim |
| Nationality | Scottish |
| Distinguishing Features | Soft Scottish accent |
Katie Leung Relationship Status
Katie Leung has not publicly disclosed details about her current relationship status or romantic partners. She gave birth to a son, Wolf, on October 31, 2022, but has not revealed information about the child’s father. Leung maintains privacy regarding her personal romantic life, focusing public attention on her professional work.
She is not known to be married as of January 2026. No confirmed public relationships or dating history have been documented in available sources.
Katie Leung Family
| Relation | Name |
| Father | Peter Leung (Hong Kong-born businessman, restaurateur) |
| Mother | Kar Wai Li Leung (Banker, lives in Hong Kong) |
| Stepmother | Not publicly named |
| Brother | Jonathan Leung |
| Sister | Violet Leung |
| Half-siblings | Nichole, Darren, Will |
| Son | Wolf (Born October 31, 2022) |
| Marital Status | Not married |
Katie Leung Net Worth
Katie Leung’s estimated net worth varies by source, with figures ranging from $1 million to $10 million as of 2025-2026. The most commonly cited estimate is approximately $5 million. These figures represent earnings from her acting career across film, television, theatre, and voice work.