Katie Leung is joining the cast of Bridgerton for its fourth season, but the scale of the production hasn’t intimidated her. Having started her career in the Harry Potter franchise, she is well-acquainted with global phenomena.
In a recent interview with The Guardian, she shared how she feels about this next chapter. “I feel really blessed, genuinely,” she said. “It feels quite familiar, in a sense. Also I’m older, and at a place in my life where I’m not too fazed going into something seemingly so huge.”
Playing a mother in the Regency era
In the upcoming season of the Netflix hit, Leung plays Lady Araminta Gun. The character is a twice-widowed, formidable aristocrat focused on finding wealthy husbands for her two daughters, Rosamund and Posy. At the same time, she treats her stepdaughter, Sophie, as a servant.
Read more: Bridgerton Star Yerin Ha on Intimate Scenes: ‘Without Fear, You Won’t Grow’
While some might see the character as a typical villain, Leung looks at her differently. She believes her own experience as a parent helped her understand the role. “The showrunners reassured me that it wasn’t going to be the archetypal evil stepmother role,” she told The Guardian. “They wanted to find the humanity in Araminta. They wanted to ensure I knew her background, her struggles, why she makes these decisions, and why she’s so formidable.”
She added: “Her drive comes from love and protection for her daughters. I get it, having become a mum. You will do anything for your kids. I don’t think I would have felt that way before.”
Reflections on Harry Potter and early fame
Leung was 16 when she was cast as Cho Chang. Looking back, she admits the sudden transition from a Scottish schoolgirl to an international star was difficult to process. At the time, she viewed the film sets as an escape from a school environment she didn’t enjoy, but the reality of fame was more complicated.
“I don’t think I did [cope],” she said in the interview. “It was overwhelming from the get-go. Being in the spotlight from that age, when you’re already insecure, was difficult, to say the least.”
The actress also spoke about the racist abuse she faced online during those years. She recalled how she would search for herself on the internet, which led to a loss of confidence. “I think it just sat with me, and it affected me in ways like, ‘Oh yeah, I made that decision because people were saying this about me.’ It probably made me less outgoing. I was very self-aware of what was coming out of my mouth.”
A shift in perspective and identity
After the Harry Potter series ended, Leung felt lost. She briefly stepped away from acting to study photography, worried that she could never top the success of the films. “I remember coming out of it and thinking, ‘Nothing’s going to beat it,’” she admitted. “I think I was so afraid of meeting these expectations that I gave up, or didn’t give myself the chance, after it, to try and continue acting.”
Read more: ‘Bridgerton’ Season 4 Welcomes Harry Potter Actress Katie Leung as Araminta Gun
However, a role in a play toward the end of her studies reignited her passion. This led her to study drama at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, where she worked hard to prove she was more than her past roles. She says she now views acting as a job rather than her entire identity.
“I still care about [acting], I still want to do well, but I can park it once I’m done for the day and go home and live this other life. It’s more like a job for me than the be-all and end-all, which is how I felt about acting when I was in my 20s,” she explained.
Diversity and the future of period drama
Leung also noted that the inclusive environment on the Bridgerton set has been a positive experience. The show has been famous for its diverse casting, which Leung says helped her feel more comfortable during production.
Speaking on the show’s approach, she said: “You can see it and feel it, and that made me feel really safe to be able to kind of play as an actor.” She believes the industry is moving in the right direction, though she notes there is still work to be done regarding representation.
“We’re getting there, and especially with a role like Araminta in Bridgerton, being able to play a mother who has daughters – this kind of family dynamic is something I feel is always lacking. That’s where we need to try and get to now,” she said.
Bridgerton Season 4 release dates confirmed
For fans eager to see Leung’s debut in the series, Netflix has confirmed that the fourth season will be split into two parts. This follows the release pattern used for the previous season.
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Part One will premiere on January 29th.
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Part Two will follow on February 26th.
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