Katie Leung, the Scottish actress, reminisces about how her first taste of theatre came from attending pantomimes every Christmas.
In an exciting twist, Leung seems to be channeling the role of a wicked stepmother in the hit drama series “Bridgerton,” which is set to explore a Cinderella-themed storyline in its new season.
Leung portrays the formidable Lady Araminta Gun, a determined matriarch focused on marrying off at least one of her daughters to elevate their standing in high society.
However, the newly released trailer for the fourth season reveals a surprising turn. Lady Araminta’s maid, Sophie Baek, played by Yerin Ha, steps into the spotlight as the season’s most captivating debutante.
Teaser clips show Sophie sneaking out from the servants’ quarters, donning a ballgown, and attending a masquerade ball. There, she captures the heart of the season’s most sought-after bachelor, Benedict Bridgerton.
Their budding romance faces a setback when Sophie makes a hasty retreat, leaving behind only a single glove as a clue to her identity.
Katie Leung plays the fromidable Lady Aramanti Gun – the mother of debutantes Rosamund and Posy Li – as Bridgerton takes a new twist on the plot of famed fairytale Cinderella
Leung’s character attends a masked ball asshe looks to find them a rich husband
Despite the Gun family’s plans, it is their Cinderella-like maid Sophie who, in disguise, steals the heart of the show’s most eligible bachelor Benedict Bridgerton at the ball
With the reluctant help of his sister, Benedict, played by Luke Thompson, sets out in society to find the ‘lady in silver’, who dropped her glove.
The development is sure to enrage Lady Araminta, given her daughter Rosamund had set her sights on the young bachelor herself.
In a brief comment on the new series, Leung shared an image of herself playing the intimidating Lady Araminta, writing: ‘This mama ain’t messing about.’
Fans have speculated that Leung’s character will also be revealed as the stepmother of Sophie, but even without that aspect the parallels between the new series’ storyline and that of Cinderella are unmistakeable.
Discussing the upcoming series, Thompson said: ‘The storyline is a bit of a twist on Cinderella. You remember being told those stories as a child — the magic and the romance of them.
‘It’s really exciting to have that weaved into the world that we know of Bridgerton. It’s such a great story, but it’s also, I hope, really relatable.’
The parallels with Cinderella – which is often a panto classic – seems apt in some ways given Leung once discussed her early experiences of drama.
She had said: ‘I remember going to panto when I was in primary school, every Christmas.
‘That was probably the extent of my exposure to theatre and the arts.’
Dundee-born Leung was launched into stardom as a teenager when she portrayed Harry Potter’s love interest Cho Chang in the wizarding films.
The couple are separated when Sophie runs home, leaving only her glove behind
More recently she has been part of the cast of hit BBC show Annika alongside Nicola Walker.
Leung faced a backlash when it emerged she was to play the mother of Rosamund Li – played by 27-year-old Michelle Mao – and Posy Li – played by Isabella Wei, 21, in Bridgerton, given she herself is only 38.
However, she defended the casting decision, given that her daughters in the show are supposed to be teenagers.
This, she said, aligns with the Regency Era because of how young women were when they got married in that time period.
She had said: ‘In the Regency Era, [women] would have been married off in their teens so it’s perfectly plausible that I would have teens.’
Bridgerton season four part one premieres on Thursday, January 29 on Netflix.
