Maitreyi Ramakrishnan has become a groundbreaking figure in mainstream media. Ramakrishnan’s journey illustrates how a young actress with Sri Lankan Tamil roots is reshaping what it means to be visible in Hollywood. Ramakrishnan was born to Tamil parents in Mississauga, Ontario, where she attended Lisgar Middle School.
She began acting in her final year at Meadowvale Secondary School before making her debut as Devi Vishwakumar in the Netflix teen comedy series Never Have I Ever, and that role established her as the face of a new generation from the Asian diaspora in entertainment. Films such as Turning Red show that her impact extends beyond television and into animated storytelling. As a performer with Tamil Canadian heritage, Ramakrishnan has set new standards for representation that ripple across TV, film, and even award stages like the Canadian Screen Award.
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Maitreyi Ramakrishnan’s Rise in Mainstream Media
Maitreyi Ramakrishnan’s rise began with her casting as the lead for Mindy Kaling’s Never Have I Ever. She was selected from 15,000 applicants to star as Devi Vishwakumar on Netflix, marking a rare opportunity for a brown girl to land a lead role in a major American TV show, something that had long been reserved for the stereotypical blonde and brunette white girl archetypes. Ramakrishnan had to defer her acceptance to York University, Toronto, to make time for filming.
The show drew largely positive reviews, resulting in Ramakrishnan winning a Canadian Screen Award for her portrayal of Devi. She went on to work in other projects, including voicing Zipp Storm from the My Little Pony franchise in My Little Pony: Tell Your Tale and the adult sitcom Big Mouth.
How She Is Redefining South Asian Representation
Through her portrayal of Devi Vishwakumar, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan has redefined how South Asian and brown girl stories are told. She brings depth to Devi, a teenager navigating grief, friendship, love, and identity. Ramakrishnan ensures that Devi is not treated as a token side character but as a complex young woman with agency in a teen comedy series. In discussing representation, Ramakrishnan has emphasized that voices from the Tamil Canadian and broader Asian communities need to be central, not peripheral, in mainstream media.
By playing a lead role in Never Have I Ever, she challenged stereotypes about South Asian femininity and brown girl narratives. Additionally, her depiction of the versatile nature of being South Asian beyond the big mouth nerdy stereotypes further challenges problematic model minority norms that have persisted in Asian Western media representation.
The Possibility of the Future of South Asian Representation
Maitreyi Ramakrishnan’s influence has meaningful implications for the future of representation from the Asian diaspora. Her visibility in Never Have I Ever signals that audiences want stories centered on protagonists from these communities. Dreaming of more roles like Devi or creative projects like Turning Red suggests that the next generation of actors with South Asian heritage will have more inclusive opportunities.
When Ramakrishnan speaks about representation, she underscores the need for more individuals from her community to take lead roles, produce stories, and create media. She envisions a future where more narratives from the South Asian diaspora are front and center in mainstream media beyond just one show or one character. With continued advocacy, her contributions could usher in a lasting shift for Asian representation in TV, film, and voice roles.
Conclusion
Maitreyi Ramakrishnan continues to redefine representation in mainstream media through her work on Never Have I Ever, voice roles such as Turning Red, and vocal advocacy for the visibility of her community. She illustrates that it is not only possible but necessary for brown girl stories to be complex, authentic, and central in media narratives. Ramakrishnan stands as a dynamic example of how actors from the South Asian diaspora can transform the industry from within. The journey she began from landing a starring role to pushing cultural boundaries offers hope that South Asian narratives will continue expanding across platforms, genres, and beyond.
FAQs
Did Maitreyi Ramakrishnan go to College?
Maitreyi Ramakrishnan deferred her acceptance to the theatre program at York University, Toronto, which she had initially planned to attend the fall after she graduated high school, so she could shoot the series in Los Angeles. In 2021, she deferred her acceptance a second time, while also switching her degree to human rights and equity studies
What languages does Maitreyi Ramakrishnan speak?
Maitreyi Ramakrishnan primarily speaks English fluently. She has stated that she knows a few Tamil words, but not nearly enough to speak.
Is Maitreyi Ramakrishnan from India?
No, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan is not from India. She is a Canadian actress of Tamil descent. Her parents are Sri Lankan Tamil refugees who immigrated to Canada. She was born and raised in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. While she embraces her Tamil heritage, she identifies as Tamil-Canadian.
