Asha Soetan Talks Harry Potter, Odd Squad and the Next Chapter

Asha Soetan is a young British actor whose career is already taking her onto some of the world’s biggest screens.

After winning the 2026 Canadian Screen Award for Best Lead Performer, Children’s or Youth for her performance as Agent Orly in the Emmy Award-winning series Odd Squad, Soetan is preparing for her biggest role yet as Angelina Johnson in HBO’s forthcoming Harry Potter television series.

With an exciting feature film also on the horizon, she is quickly establishing herself as one of the UK’s brightest young talents. Soetan reflects on her award-winning breakthrough, stepping into the Wizarding World, and why she’s embracing every opportunity as her career gathers momentum.

Please introduce yourself…
Asha Soetan. 15 years old. Pisces. Nigerian, Iranian, British and Canadian. From the UK.

Describe your life right now in one word or one sentence.
Trying to live in the moment.

First things first, congratulations on winning the Canadian Screen Award for Best Lead Performer. Where were you when you found out, and what was your first reaction?
I’d just come from my friend’s house, and I’d completely forgotten they were announcing the awards that day. So when I walked in, my mum told me… the “Canadian Screen Awards were announced today”, without giving away anything. I had completely forgotten about it because there were so many amazing actors in my category, and I thought that because I’m not based in Canada. Anyway, I screamed when I heard the amazing news, jumping up and down frantically. I couldn’t believe it and wished I’d made the journey to receive it in person.

Winning such a prestigious award at a young age is an incredible achievement. Has it given you confidence in yourself as an actress?
It has definitely given me more confidence, and it’s made me more ambitious. Now that I’ve won it, I want more, so I’m determined to get better at acting, improving the depth of roles I take on and not being complacent.

Agent Orly has become a real fan favourite in Odd Squad. What made you fall in love with the character, and what do you think you’ve learned from playing her?
I love that she is bubbly, ambitious and quirky. I can totally relate to her. I love how she gets excited easily and loves food just like me. She was my first major role, so I learned so much from the show and had to develop my Canadian accent and comedic timing, taking notes from a director at 12 years old. 

As a young Black British actress, you’re already making your mark on the international stage. What does it mean to know that children around the world are watching your work and seeing themselves reflected on screen?
It feels extremely surreal because I remember watching actors in Odd Squad when I was little and being in awe of them. It’s so cool to know that I’m a role model to younger actors, and I want to remind them that they don’t need to have loads of experience; they just need to start, and by starting, you will open up doors.  I think it’s so important that kids around the world have role models, especially ones that look like them. I know I had that when I was younger – in Disney princesses like Moana, American shows like Family Reunion, Free Rein, etc.

You’re about to join one of the biggest television series in the world as Angelina Johnson in HBO’s Harry Potter series. How did you find out you’d been cast?
It was actually a staged process. I went to the audition and was told a few days later that I had a good chance. At that stage, I was so excited because it brought it from possibility to reality. Before that, I had thought it would be like other auditions, so I didn’t get my hopes up. Afterwards, it was days of waiting until I got the final call from my agent, and then I was just imagining myself in it, knowing it was just such a huge show. I have loved the Harry Potter series since I was little. 

For anyone meeting Angelina Johnson for the first time, how would you describe her, and what do you love most about playing her?
AJ is fierce, someone you don’t want to mess with, confident, and passionate about Quidditch. I love that she doesn’t take crap from anybody and she is friends with everyone on her team; that’s something I love for myself

Angelina is confident, fearless and a brilliant Quidditch player. Have you had to learn any new skills or take part in any special training for the role?
I hadn’t obviously ‘flown’ before, so I had to get used to flying using rigs and ropes, etc. 

Without giving away any secrets, what are you most excited for fans to discover about this new version of Harry Potter?
I think it will be a lot more personal and detailed, and it will highlight the magic in the original book series. I’m also excited that the fans will see the incredible sets that have been built for this series. Diagon Alley, Gringotts, Ollivander’s and our common room are pretty incredible.

Were you already a Harry Potter fan before joining the series? If so, did you have a favourite book, film or character?
I had read all the books when I was around  11 and am even rereading them now. My favourite books are The Prisoner of Azkaban and the fourth book, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, because I love the Triwizard Cup. You know who my favourite character is.

If you could spend one day at Hogwarts, which lessons would you choose, which magical creature would you most want to meet, and which spell would you use first?
For lessons, I would choose Defence against the Dark Arts, Potions and Care of Magical Creatures. My favourite creatures are the Hippogriffs or a unicorn, mostly because I could fly on a hippogriff and the unicorn well, who wouldn’t want to meet a unicorn? They’re mystical and peaceful.  For spells, I would do the Portus spell, which turns an object into a portkey to transport you up to another location.

⁠Balancing filming with school, family life and still finding time to just be a kid can’t always be easy. How do you manage it all?
It is a lot and can be overwhelming sometimes, but I’d rather have the best of both worlds than have one over the other. Sometimes, especially this year, it can be hard to keep up with schoolwork and even friendships, but it’s all worth it because I have the best time filming and can still be grounded and enjoy a normal life. 

You’ve already appeared in Odd Squad and Supergirl, with Harry Potter still to come. What’s been the biggest lesson you’ve learned on your acting journey?
Watching other child actors I look up to or admire, it can be easy to compare myself and feel like I’m not doing enough, but I’ve learned that everyone has their own journey and being happy with myself and my own journey has been an important lesson.

Your career is only just beginning, but you’ve already achieved so much. What do you still hope to achieve as an actress?
My dream is to star as the lead in a movie and attend a red carpet premiere. Preferably either an action film or a musical film where I can sing and dance.

GETTING TO KNOW YOU …

If not this, then what? It would be really cool to become a marine biologist, especially because my favourite animal is a dolphin.

What’s made you sad, mad, & glad this week? I’m on holiday in Canada with my family this week. So I’ve experienced it all. I’m sad because I have to leave my cousins when I go back to London. Mad when I lost a game of ping pong to my younger cousin. Glad when I woke up early and sat on the dock watching the water; it was so peaceful and pretty.

What are you watching? I’m watching Ginny and Georgia with my Mum and sisters, and I’m also watching The Summer I Turned Pretty.

What are you reading? Right now I’m reading Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden.

The last film you watched? Project Hail Mary.

The last play you saw? Hamilton. Loved it. I love musicals and know all the songs and raps to Hamilton so it was a dream fulfilled.

The last live music event? I think it was over two years ago when I went to the Latitude music festival, which was mostly indie music. It was my first music festival. 

What’s currently on your playlist? Dive by Olivia Dean (favourite song). Show me love by WizTheMc, bees & honey. Back on ‘74 by Jungle.

Which podcast are you listening to? I don’t listen to podcasts yet. 

What’s on your bucket list? Visiting a 711 in South Korea. Swimming in the glowing bioluminescence water in the Maldives. And finally…acting in an action film or musical as the lead character.

Where’s your happy place? Eating gourmet cookies with my family on holiday.

Celebrate someone else … Zendaya. She’s everywhere, and I love her funny personality and how she doesn’t take herself too seriously. Jennifer Lawrence because she’s just so funny and doesn’t care what people think. Chase Infiniti because she’s a dancer and is also at the start of her career like me.

Celebrate yourself … I just got gold in a recent gymnastics competition and taught myself a new skill, which I’m enjoying. Sewing.

What’s next? Harry Potter is premiering on Christmas Day. After that, who knows? I’m ready for whatever doors open.

Where can we find you? @ashasoetan (Instagram)

Where can we watch you at work? You can watch both Season 5 & 6 of Odd Squad on BBC or PBS. Supergirl on Amazon Prime. And soon… Harry Potter on HBO Max.