Maitreyi Ramakrishnan
A breakout star who brought a sharp, funny, and deeply human voice to a generation as the lead of Netflix's 'Never Have I Ever'.
Born 2001 (age 25)·Canadian actress·Birthday: December 28·Generation Z
Biography
Maitreyi Ramakrishnan's acting career began not in a drama club, but with an open casting call on Twitter. A teenager from Mississauga, Ontario, with no professional experience, she beat out 15,000 hopefuls to land the lead role in Mindy Kaling's 'Never Have I Ever.' Overnight, she became the relatable, messy, and fiercely ambitious face of a hit series that redefined the teen comedy with its specific focus on a Tamil Canadian family. Ramakrishnan navigated sudden fame with a grounded wit, using her platform to advocate for authentic representation. She has since lent her voice to major animated projects like Pixar's 'Turning Red' and begun a transition to film, all while maintaining the unpretentious charm that made her a star.
Generation Z
1997–2012
Born into smartphones, social media, and school shootings. The most diverse generation in history. Pragmatic about money, fluid about identity, anxious about the climate. They do not remember a world before the internet.
Maitreyi was born in 2001, placing them squarely in the Generation Z. The events that shaped this generation — social media, climate anxiety, and a pandemic — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Maitreyi Was Born
The biggest hits of 2001
#1 Movie
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Best Picture
A Beautiful Mind
#1 TV Show
Survivor
Maitreyi's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
2001Born
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2006Started school
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2014Became a teenager
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2017Could drive
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2019Could vote
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2022Turned 21
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 25 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Landed the lead role of Devi Vishwakumar in Netflix's 'Never Have I Ever' after a global open casting call with over 15,000 applicants.
- Won a Canadian Screen Award for Best Lead Performance in a Comedy Series for her work on 'Never Have I Ever.'
- Voiced the character Priya in Pixar's critically acclaimed animated feature film 'Turning Red.'
- Named one of Time magazine's Next Generation Leaders in 2021.
Did You Know?
She initially auditioned for the role of Devi as a way to procrastinate studying for her final high school exams.
Her public audition tape featured her reading lines from 'The Office,' another show created by her future collaborator Mindy Kaling.
She is a self-described 'theatre kid' who performed in high school productions but had no professional training.
““I’m just a girl, standing in front of a salad, asking it to be a pizza.””
