Maitreyi Ramakrishnan

Maitreyi Ramakrishnan (born December 28, 2001) is a Canadian actress who first captures global attention with her breakout role as Devi Vishwakumar in the Netflix teen comedy‑drama Never Have I Ever (2020–2023). Born in Mississauga, Ontario, to Sri Lankan Tamil refugee parents, she grew up identifying as Tamil‑Canadian and attended Lisgar Middle School before graduating from Meadowvale Secondary School. While still in high school she auditioned for the open casting call posted by Mindy Kaling, creating a homemade tape in a local library with her mother’s camera; out of roughly 15,000 applicants she was selected at age 17, a moment that was celebrated in Canadian media for its representation of South‑Asian talent. Her portrayal of Devi, a witty, academically‑driven teen navigating cultural expectations, earned critical praise, earning her nominations for an Independent Spirit Award, a Canadian Screen Award, an MTV Movie & TV Award and multiple People’s Choice nods. Never Have I Ever logged over 40 million household views within its first year, and Ramakrishnan was later listed among Time’s "Time 100 Next" breakout actors in 2021. In addition to her live‑action success, she expanded into voice work, lending her distinctive tone to Priya Mangal in Pixar’s Turning Red (2022) and becoming the voice of Zipp Storm across the My Little Pony franchise, including Make Your Mark and Tell Your Tale (2022–2024). Her performances earned her the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television’s Radius Award in 2022 for her worldwide impact. Following her television acclaim, Ramakrishnan made her live‑action film debut with a supporting role in the SXSW‑premiered comedy‑drama Slanted (2025), garnering positive reviews for her "scene‑stealing" turn. She continues to diversify her portfolio with upcoming voice‑over work in The Angry Birds Movie 3 (2027) and co‑leading the Netflix dance comedy Best of the Best (2025), while also committing to a romantic comedy adaptation of Pride and Prejudice titled The Netherfield Girls. Beyond acting, she serves as a global ambassador for Plan International Canada and has fronted campaigns for American Eagle and Nobis, using her platform to advocate for gender equality and climate‑friendly initiatives.