Katie Leung Biography
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Katie Leung
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- This is a Chinese name; the family name is Leung.
| Katie Leung | |
|---|---|
| Born | Katie Liu Leung 8 August 1987  Motherwell, North Lanarkshire, Scotland, UK |
| Other name(s) | Katt Leung |
| Years active | 2005–present |
Katie Liu Leung (traditional Chinese: 梁佩詩; simplified Chinese: 梁佩诗; pinyin: Liáng Pèishī; Cantonese Yale: Leung4 Pui3 Si1; born 8 August 1987) is a Scottish actress, best known for playing Cho Chang, Harry Potter's love interest in the film versions of the J. K. Rowling novels Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. She is set to reprise the role in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince due out 17 July 2009.
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Biography
Personal life
Leung was born in a wealthy family in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire to Peter and Kar Wai Li Leung. Her parents are now divorced, and she currently resides with her father (a native of Hong Kong), two brothers, and a sister.1, 2
Her father runs a restaurant in Glasgow, as well as a wholesale business in Chinese cuisine3 and her father own a department store and a hotel.citation needed Besides English, Leung can also speak some Cantonese and a few words of Mandarin. Leung attended Hamilton College, a Scottish independent school in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire. She currently lives in Glasgow and attends Glasgow Caledonian University. They have a house in High Earnock is a private housing estate in Hamilton, Scotland and is a subdivision of the ancient district of Earnock, along with Little Earnock, Earnock Estate, and Meikle Earnock.citation needed
Leung has been named as Scotland's most stylish female and as the "hottest" Scotswoman by The Scotsman.4 She also been featured in Teen Vogue and even in Evening Standard.
Career
Leung's father saw an advertisement for a casting call for Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and suggested she try out. She waited for four hours in line for her five minute audition and said that she would rather be shopping than stand in a line with more than 4,500 girls infront of her for a role she was almost certain she wouldn't get. Two weeks later she was called for a workshop and was later offered the part of Cho. More than 4,500 other girls had been considered for the part, including actresses Courtney Webb and Michelle Ang.5 She stated in an interview with the Daily Record that her Scottish accent probably gave her an edge in the casting.6
Daniel Radcliffe, the actor who plays Harry, said that Leung is "awesome" and a "really amazing actress". Her best friend on set was Bonnie Wright who plays Ginny Weasley in the films. Leung delayed plans to go to art college and university in order to film Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. In the film, Leung and Radcliffe share an on-screen kiss, a fact that received much media attention.7
When asked whether she will be back for the sixth film, Leung responded, "I don't think so. Cho's mentioned briefly in the books, but they try to cram so much into the films that I don't think there'll be room for her."8 However, in an interview at the Order of the Phoenix DVD Launch in November 2007, she said she would be filming scenes for the film in January 2008.9
In July 2007, Leung was cast by Gold Label Records, a subsidiary of EMI in Hong Kong, to be the female lead in the music video Love Coming Home (愛回家) by Leo Ku. Leung filmed the movie in London while promoting the new Harry Potter film. Leo described Leung's acting as "professional" and "mature".10
Leung is signed up to play Hsui Tai in the episode "Cat Among the Pigeons" of ITV1's Agatha Christie's Poirot, alongside David Suchet,11premiering on ITV, 21 September 2008.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire | Cho Chang | |
| 2007 | Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix | Cho Chang | Film; Video game voiceover |
| 2008 | Agatha Christie's Poirot | Hsui Tai | (TV) Episode "Cat Amongst the Pigeons". ITV1 production. |
| 2009 | Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince | Cho Chang |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Love Coming Home (愛回家) (Music Video) - Leo Ku | Girlfriend/Wife |
References
- ^ LAU KIT WAI. Katie casts a spell. South China Morning Post. YOUNGPOST; Pg. 1. December 11, 2005.
- ^ ANDY DOUGAN. Motherwell girl Katie steals Harry Potter 's heart; MOVIE SPECIAL Katie Leung on her dream role . . . and the big secret she had to keep for two months. Evening Times (Glasgow). NEWS; Pg. 14. November 4, 2005.
- ^ David Scott. KATIE SAYS SO LEUNG TO UNIVERSITY DREAMS; HARRY POTTER STAR WANTS MOVIE CAREER. The Express. Scottish Edition; NEWS; Pg. 7. September 26, 2005.
- ^ Watson, Jeremy (2007-11-18), Harry Potter actress flies from Hogwarts to top of eligibles list, The Scotsman, http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/entertainment.cfm?id=1819232007, retrieved on 2 December 2007
- ^ Katie Leung 5/2007 Interview BBC.com
- ^ Exclusive: My Broad Accent Scot Me A Job As Harry Girl - The Daily Record
- ^ See, e.g., http://www.pr-inside.com/entertainment-blog/2007/06/28/leung-praises-radcliffe-kissing/, and http://movies.commongate.com/post/Harry_Potter_s_first_kiss/
- ^ Secrets of youth. Sunday Tribune (South Africa). THE SUNDAY MAGAZINE; Pg. 8. 8 July 2007
- ^ "Katie in HBP! Plus at Ootp DVD Launch?", Katie Leungfan.com. Retrieved on 9 November 2007.
- ^ (Chinese) "基仔張秋親熱大汗疊細汗", Sina.com (2007-07-31). Retrieved on 1 August 2007.
- ^ Hendry, Steve (2007-12-02). "What Katie Leung Did Again", Sunday Mail. Retrieved on 2 December 2007.