Personal details
Born:
- Birthday: 1972-12-22
- Born Place: Tunis, Tunisia
Poorna Jagannathan
Poorna Jagannathan (born December 22, 1972, in Tunis, Tunisia) is an American actress, producer, and activist celebrated for her powerful portrayals and dedication to meaningful storytelling . The daughter of an Indian diplomat, she grew up across Pakistan, Ireland, India, Brazil, Argentina, and the U.S., becoming fluent in five languages: Tamil, Hindi, English, Spanish, and Portuguese . After earning a journalism degree from the University of Maryland and briefly pursuing an MFA in acting at Pace University, she trained under Elizabeth Kemp and at The Barrow Group . Before her acting breakthrough, she spent 15 years in advertising with major agencies, even founding her own consultancy . Jagannathan gained clear attention for her dynamic role in the Bollywood hit Delhi Belly (2011), praised for her departure from stereotypical female roles . In 2016, she earned acclaim as Safar Khan on HBO’s The Night Of, and from 2020–2023, won hearts as the loving, complex immigrant mother Nalini in Netflix’s Never Have I Ever . Deeply committed to social justice, she co-conceived, produced, and acted in Nirbhaya (2013), a bold play addressing sexual violence in India; the production received the Amnesty International Award, Fringe First, and Herald Angel honors—and was hailed as “one of the most powerful pieces of human rights theatre ever made” . Her accolades include recognition as one of the "Top 100 Most Impactful Asians" in America by Gold House (2021, 2022, 2025), inclusion in Verve’s "50 Most Powerful Women in India" (2014), and Femina's "India’s 50 Most Beautiful Women" (2012) . Recently, she’s expanded her on-screen range—playing an “aunty-gangster” in Hulu’s Deli Boys (2025), starring in The Out-Laws, and joining the cast of HBO's Lanterns (expected 2026) .
Person History
Wolfs 2024
2024