Harry Potter star Katie Leung hits out after theatre puts on Chinese play with all-white cast for play set in China
-
Harry Potter star Katie Leung hits out after theatre puts on Chinese play with all-white cast for play set in China
HARRY Potter actress Katie Leung has criticised a London theatre for putting on a play set in China with an all-white cast.
Katie, who plays Cho Chang in the film series based on JK Rowling’s books, said it was “unacceptable” for The Print Room in Westbourne Grove not to cast East Asian performers.
It is due to show Howard Barker’s In the Depths of Dead Love next month, which is “set in ancient China”.
Characters include Mrs Hu, Lord Ghang and Lady Hasi but no British Asian character has been cast.
Writing on Twitter, Leung, from Motherwell, said: “Describing your story set in China as ‘a fable, mythical, ancient, metaphorical, abstract, folkloric’ and now ‘not in any actual real ‘where’?!
“China is a REAL place with REAL people. Using what suits and then disposing of the rest at your pleasure is unacceptable.”
She then posted a link to a Facebook status by fellow actor Daniel York, which stated: “You have elected in your wisdom to produce Howard’s play, set in China with characters with Chinese names but who apparently aren’t Chinese, with white Caucasian actors.
“I know you say it’s not ‘real’. But China IS real. Chinese PEOPLE are real. If you wanted to be ‘not real’ why not invent a fictional world?”
