Christopher Patrick Chung (born 13 July 1988) is an Australian actor and singer. He first gained prominence in 2013 when he appeared in series 9 of the British high school drama series Waterloo Road on BBC One, and became more widely known for his role as Roddy Ho in the Apple TV+ series Slow Horses from 2022 onwards. In 2026, he stars in a leading role in the TV adaptation of My Brilliant Career on Netflix.
For his role in Slow Horses, Chung was nominated for the British Academy Television Award for Best Supporting Actor.
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Early life and education
Christopher Patrick Chung was born on 13 July 1988 to an Irish mother from Limerick and a Malaysian Chinese father. His parents met at a party while studying in London in the 1970s. Chung grew up in Mornington and Mount Eliza, suburbs of Melbourne located on the Mornington Peninsula.
He attended Padua College, graduating in 2006. At his school, there were only a handful of children of Chinese heritage.
Chung became interested in acting through a school production of Aladdin when he was in Year 6, starring opposite Sarah Reilly. He participated in acting workshops at St Martin's Youth Theatre and auditioned for singing competitions during his teen years. He began his studies at university, but withdrew.
He was 21 when he decided to take an intensive course at the Ward Acting Studio in New York, and also took a course in Philadelphia.
Career
In 2011 Chung appeared in one episode of the long-running Australian soap Neighbours.
In 2012 he moved to London, aged 24. His first television role in the UK was as Archie Wong, a student who secretly teaches his languages teacher Mandarin, in Waterloo Road on BBC One.
He then performed on stage, including playing Kurt in Heathers: The Musical, and Paris in Romeo and Juliet at the Globe. After theatres closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, he was wondering if he should take a break from acting, before winning a career-defining role. Chung achieved worldwide fame as the Roddy Ho in the British spy drama series Slow Horses on Apple TV+ (2022–present), with the sixth season dropping on 26 September 2026. He is responsible for having created some of the character's lines, including the final line in season 1: "They tried to cage me up – but you can't cage a dragon", and his character becomes even more prominent in the sixth season.
He starred in Steve McQueen's 2024 wartime drama film Blitz.
Chung plays a leading role as the love interest, Harry Beecham, opposite Philippa Northeast as Sybylla, in the Netflix historical drama series My Brilliant Career, based on Miles Franklin's 1901 novel of the same name. Filmed and made in South Australia, the series debuted on 13 August 2026. Beecham's role was not written as a Chinese Australian, but the creator of the series, Liz Doran, wanted to explore the complex history of early Chinese settlers in Australia.
Recognition and awards
For his role in Slow Horses, Chung was nominated for the British Academy Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in the 2025 BAFTAs, and became the third male actor of East Asian descent to be nominated.
Personal life
Chung married Scottish actress Frances Mayli McCann, first having a traditional Chinese ceremony in Melbourne in 2020, followed by a western wedding in Glasgow, Scotland, in 2021.
In addition to acting, Chung works as a personal trainer in London.