Cho Chang on HP4
(November 16, 2005)
Source: Empire Online

She's one of the most important additions to the cast of the Goblet of Fire. The object of Harry's affections, Ravenclaw's Cho Chang was the object of a mammoth casting search, with thousands of girls competing for the part. But the winner was newcomer Katie Leung, an unassuming Scot who had never acted before. We talked to the lady herself about Mike Newell being distracting, Daniel Radcliffe being down-to-Earth, and why acting is good for your schoolwork...

How are you finding this interview process? It must still seems a bit surreal.
Yeah, it is strange because the actual premiere hasn’t happened yet. I haven’t been recognised or anything, so it’s a bit surreal. I’ll have to wait until the premiere until I can really tell you what it’s like.

The story of your casting has become something of a legend. What were your expectations at the time?
I didn’t have any expectations. I just went down for a bit of fun and I think that’s the reason I was so relaxed about the whole audition process and I just thought that was the only thing I’m going to get out of this is experience. I thought, “I’m not bothered if I don’t get it,” and that’s what got me the part I think.

Did Mike Newell say what he thought made you different from all the thousands of others who went for the role?
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 and everything. 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 walking in and out and 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’ve got a chance in this. There was also the fact that I come from Scotland, because all the girls around me were English and I think I kind of stood out with my Scottish accent.

Are you playing here with a Scottish accent?
Yes. It’ll be a change. It doesn’t say that in the book.

Cho Chang is quite a complicated girl. How would you describe her?
Yeah definitely, she has a complicated time. She’s Harry’s crush, but she’s also got a boyfriend in the film so nothing can happen between her and Harry. Basically all that’s involved between Harry and Cho is teasing and a lot of flirting. She’s not an unfaithful person in character; she wouldn’t cheat on her boyfriend or anything.

She’s a normal teenager isn’t she?
Definitely, I’m sure that all girls and guys have experienced that kind of thing. Basically, we’re just playing our parts in real life and in Harry Potter at the same time. That was really fun to do. I’ve got past that stage now because I’m 18.

How did you work with Daniel on it? It must be a big change for him, he’s just been the hero and now...
Yeah, he’s got to fight Voldemort, he’s got to fight dragons in this film.

...He’s got to deal with girls as well.
Yeah, that’s the most courageous thing that he does. He plucks up the courage to ask me to the ball and then he gets turned down because I’ve got a boyfriend. That must be really hard for him. Most of the scenes that we did, he was walking by or gazing at me from afar, so we never really got to talk to each other until before the Yule Ball scene, when he asked me to go. That was like the big scene between me and him. We had fun. It was great filming with him because he’s so down to earth.

How was the big Yule Ball scene that you had to train for?
Oh, it was hard at the beginning, but everyone was so up for it, because the dancing sequence was so amazing that everyone wanted to learn it. I must say that me and my partner Robert Pattinson (Cedric Diggory) were dire. The teacher would praise everyone except us. Then at the end we came out top. It was really hard because it all had to be co-ordinated. I have seen parts of it. It looks great.

Did you find there was a real sense of community on set?
Oh definitely. The first time I met them we had to do a workshop together and the purpose of that was so we could bond, and before you know it we’re all friends, we’re like a big family. That makes it so much easier for us when we’re working on set together, because we have to work for so many hours a day it would just be stupid if we weren’t friends.

What sort of stuff did you get up to outside of shooting?
Well, because we were all young, we had to study when we weren’t filming. They’re so strict with tutoring, that was like the top of the priority list. But when we weren’t studying, holidays and stuff like that, we had a recreation room and there was ping pong, and a snooker table and telly and boardgames and everything. We just had great fun in there. We played Articulate and Connect Four; we’re all big babies.

Are you ready to see the finished article?
I don’t know, I guess I’m prepared for it in a way, but I mean it’s going to be beyond my expectations. I’ll just have to wait and see what it’s like.

Are you ready for envious eyes and jealous letters from fans coming your way saying, “How dare you treat Harry like this?” The fans take it very seriously.
It’s interesting because her character 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, and you just can’t satisfy everyone. I’m going to expect it, but everyone gets it in this business.

Have you got the bug now, sequels apart, for acting?
Definitely. Before I got the part I wanted to attend University and study design or something, but I hadn’t really set my mind on a particular career. I would be going onto University right now if it wasn’t for my acting. But I can go back to University anytime and this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

So you've done your A-levels?
Yeah. I did English, Maths and Art. I thought it would be really hard because you have to film and then study at the same time but the thing was we got one-to-one tuition. So you got more attention, and that made me improve greatly in all my grades. Now I’ve just got to wait and see if opportunities come my way.

Are you in the next one?
Hopefully! I haven’t heard about it, but the character’s in the next one.

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