Maitreyi Ramakrishnan Wiki, Age, Height, Boyfriend, Family, Biography & More

Maitreyi Ramakrishnan is a Canadian actress known for playing the lead role of ‘Devi Vishwakumar’ in Netflix’s teen comedy series, Never Have I Ever (2020).

Wiki/Biography & Career

Maitreyi Ramakrishnan was born on Friday, 28 December 2001 (age 18 years; as in 2019) in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. Her zodiac sign is Capricorn. She did her schooling from Trelawny Public School, Mississauga and Meadowvale Secondary School, Mississauga, Ontario. She made her acting debut with the 2020 Nelfix’s comedy series, “Never Have I Ever” as ‘Devi Vishwakumar.’ She was chosen by Mindy Kaling out of 15,000 candidates who had applied for the open casting call for the show.

She postponed her acceptance to the theatre program at York University, Toronto, due to her acting project (Never Have I Ever). Reportedly, she might defer her degree if she gets to act in another season of the show.

Physical Appearance

Height (approx.): 5′ 6″

Eye Colour: Black

Hair Colour: Black

Family & Ethnicity

She belongs to a Sri Lankan Tamil Family but identifies herself as a Tamil and Canadian. Talking about it, she says,

I made it very clear to my agent and publicist that Tamil Canadian is very, very important to me … my identity isn’t being Sri Lankan,” she said. “That’s not my country. My country is Canada. But my culture is definitely Tamil.”

Her family came to Canada as refugees after the civil war in Sri Lanka (1983-2009). [1] Her father, Ram Selvarajah is an IT specialist. Her mother, Kiruthiha Kulendiren is in marketing. She has an elder brother named Vishwaa Ramakrishnan.

Favourite Things

• Dessert: Donuts

• Food: Pretzels

• Actress: Mindy Kaling, Nayanthara

• Singers: Rex Orange County, Childish Gambino, Doja Cat

• Band: Panic! At The Disco

• TV Shows: The Office (2005-13), Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2013), Parks and Recreation (2009), When They See Us (2019), Black Mirror (2011)

• Movies: Chandramukhi (2005), Get Out (2017)

• Fictional Character: Hermione Granger

• Sports: Basketball

• Basketball Team: Toronto Raptors

• Video Games: Nintendo, Crossing: New Horizons, Super Smash Bros

Facts/Trivia

• She likes playing the piano, painting, hiking, exploring art galleries, singing, riding her motorcycle, and playing video games.

• She was raised in a multicultural environment and knows Bharatanatyam and Ballet dance forms. She has also learned to play the piano.

• When she was in grade 10, she began acting in school plays; her first role was of ‘Urleen’ from the play “Footloose.” When she was in grade 12, she used to write, direct, and produce plays; as an assignment from her drama classes.

• At the same time, she was a part of a Jazz band and played the piano in the band.

• Initially, she wanted to become an animator, because of her love for Disney and Marvel comics, but when she was in the last year of her school, she decided to become an actress. Talking about it, she says,
  

  In our after school plays, our after school musicals and at first I just did it as something like for fun and then I realized it was something that I could dedicate myself to for the rest of my life and I would be really happy with it”

• In 2019, she participated in the student walkout protests against Doug Ford’s proposition for education cuts.

• In 2019, for her auditions for the show, Never Have I Ever, she created a tape at a local library using her mother’s camera. Eventually, she was asked to send four more videos, after which, her screen test took place in Los Angeles, and she was selected for the lead in the show, Never Have I Ever. Reportedly, her best friend was the one who asked her to give auditions for the show.
  

  Maitreyi Ramakrishnan with her Best Friend

• Her casting on the show earned her attention from media for the nature of open casting calls of the auditions and because of her Tamil Canadian Identity.

• In 2019, The Today Show named her ‘one of the eighteen Groundbreakers,’ a list of girls breaking down barriers and changing the world.