Maitreyi Ramakrishnan: Who she is, age, film and TV career
Maitreyi Ramakrishnan is a Canadian actress known internationally for playing Devi Vishwakumar, the lead of the Netflix teen series Never Have I Ever. Her career also includes voice work in Turning Red, My Little Pony, The Twits and Lost in Starlight, along with film roles in Freakier Friday and Slanted.Maitreyi Ramakrishnan.In September 2026, she leads the cast of Best of the Best, a Netflix comedy directed by Lena Khan in which she plays Maya, a college student who joins UCLA's competitive Bollywood-fusion dance team alongside her best friend.
Who is this Canadian actress?
She was born on December 28, 2001, in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, and grew up in that city. She is the daughter of Sri Lankan Tamil parents who emigrated to Canada as refugees during the Sri Lankan civil war. She publicly identifies as Tamil-Canadian.Her professional career began in an unconventional way: she landed the lead role in Never Have I Ever through an open casting call that drew around 15,000 applicants.Biographical information published by Wikipedia and corroborated by outlets such as The Globe and Mail, CBC and Vogue India traces her family roots and education to the Toronto area.
Age and date of birth
She was born on December 28, 2001, making her 24 years old as of September 2026.She was born in Mississauga, Ontario, a city in the greater Toronto area.
Where did she study?
After graduating from Meadowvale Secondary School, she was accepted into York University in Toronto.She initially planned to study theater, but as her acting career developed she decided to switch her program to Human Rights and Equity Studies. She eventually graduated from York University in 2025.This detail is especially relevant because her university education wasn't limited to performance; it was also connected to human rights, equality and social issues.
The unexpected breakthrough with Never Have I Ever
The major turning point came in 2019, when Mindy Kaling cast her as Devi Vishwakumar in Never Have I Ever.
The casting call sought a young actress to lead the series and received approximately 15,000 submissions. At the time, she was 17 years old and had not yet built a professional acting career.Her audition was filmed with her mother's camera at a local library. After submitting several tapes, she traveled to Los Angeles for a screen test and ultimately won the role.Netflix premiered Never Have I Ever in April 2020. The series ended after four seasons in 2023 and turned Devi into one of the platform's most recognizable teen characters.
Devi Vishwakumar, the character that changed her career
Devi is an American teenager of Indian and Tamil descent who attends Sherman Oaks High School in California.The story blends comedy, family grief, friendship, romantic relationships, conflicts with her mother and the search for identity during adolescence.The performance received a positive response and helped establish the actress as one of the new faces of teen television. Netflix officially credits Ramakrishnan as the series' lead alongside Richa Moorjani and Jaren Lewison.The role also allowed her to take part in a production that placed a South Asian protagonist at the center of an American teen comedy.
A career that expanded into animation
After her television success, her career broadened into voice acting and animation.
Priya in Turning Red
In 2022 she voiced Priya Mangal in Turning Red, the Pixar film directed by Domee Shi.Priya is one of Mei Lee's best friends and part of the film's core group of teenagers. Disney officially confirmed Ramakrishnan's participation as the voice of the character.The film became one of the most significant animation projects in her filmography and brought her work to a much wider audience.
Zipp Storm in My Little Pony
She also voiced Zipp Storm in the fifth generation of My Little Pony.She appeared in My Little Pony: Tell Your Tale and My Little Pony: Make Your Mark, along with several specials tied to this era of the franchise.Voice work became an important part of her career in the years following Never Have I Ever.
From Netflix to other film projects
Her professional evolution continued with various film and animation roles.Among them is Lost in Starlight, a South Korean animated Netflix production for which she voiced Nan-young in the English dub.She also played Ella in Freakier Friday, the sequel to Freaky Friday, starring Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan.In Slanted she played Brindha, the protagonist's best friend. The film premiered at the 2025 SXSW Festival and later received a commercial release.Another notable credit is The Twits, a Netflix animated film inspired by Roald Dahl's work, in which she voices Beesha Balti.
Maya in Netflix’s Best of the Best
In 2026 comes one of the most significant film roles of her career: Maya in Best of the Best.Netflix officially confirmed that Ramakrishnan stars in the film alongside Priyanka Kedia. The story follows two childhood friends who join UCLA's competitive Bollywood-fusion dance team.
The goal is to reach the national championship, but rivalry and the pressure of competition test their friendship.
What character does she play?
She plays Maya, one of the two protagonists.Maya convinces her friend Anjali to try out for the dance team. Netflix describes the character as a young woman with a lot of personality, determination and a vulnerable side that emerges behind her combative attitude.The film is directed by Lena Khan and also features Priyanka Kedia, Ankur Rathee, Janina Gavankar, Chaneil Kular, Becky Alex, Shreya Navile and Hasan Minhaj.Netflix set its premiere for September 18, 2026.
What other projects does she have in 2026?
Her professional activity doesn't end with Best of the Best.She is also attached to the second season of Elle, the Prime Video series that serves as a prequel to Legally Blonde. In this project she plays Sam in a recurring role.She is also part of the voice cast of The Angry Birds Movie 3, set to hit theaters in December 2026.Another announced project is The Netherfield Girls, a contemporary adaptation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice for Netflix.
Awards and recognitions
The success of Never Have I Ever led to several nominations and honors.Her main accolades include:
Nomination at the Independent Spirit Awards for Never Have I Ever.
Nomination at the Canadian Screen Awards.
Nomination at the MTV Movie & TV Awards.
Two nominations at the People's Choice Awards related to Never Have I Ever.
Radius Award from the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television in 2022.
Nomination at the Annie Awards for her voice work in The Twits.
In 2021 she was also included by Time in the Time100 Next list, which recognizes figures considered influential and rising stars.
Activism and work for girls’ rights
Her public activity is not limited to acting.Since 2020 she has been a Global Celebrated Ambassador for Plan International Canada, an organization dedicated to children's rights and gender equality.In this role, she has taken part in campaigns and initiatives related to girls' education, equality and the removal of barriers affecting young women.Plan International Canada has also documented her participation in a trip to Tanzania to learn about projects aimed at helping girls stay in school.Her work with the organization is one of the most notable aspects of her public activity outside the entertainment industry.
A career defined by representation
One of the most significant aspects of her career is the representation of South Asian characters in productions aimed at large international audiences.Devi Vishwakumar was especially important in this regard because Never Have I Ever placed a teenager of Indian and Tamil descent at the center of an American teen comedy.The actress herself has spoken in interviews about the importance of people from different backgrounds seeing themselves authentically represented in popular stories.Her subsequent career has maintained that diversity of projects: teen television, animation, film, voice acting and international productions.
Maitreyi Ramakrishnan’s filmography
Her main works include:
Movies
Turning Red (2022) — Priya Mangal, voice.
Slanted (2025) — Brindha.
Lost in Starlight (2025) — Nan-young, English dub.
Freakier Friday (2025) — Ella.
The Twits (2025) — Beesha Balti, voice.
Best of the Best (2026) — Maya.
The Angry Birds Movie 3 (2026) — voice, character not publicly specified.
My Little Pony: Tell Your Tale (2022-2024) — Zipp Storm, voice.
My Little Pony: Make Your Mark (2022-2023) — Zipp Storm, voice.
Big Mouth (2023) — Marissa, voice.
The Boys (2026) — Countess Crow.
Elle — Sam, recurring role announced for the second season.
Frequently asked questions about Maitreyi Ramakrishnan
Who is Maitreyi Ramakrishnan?
She is a Canadian actress known primarily for playing Devi Vishwakumar in Never Have I Ever. She has also appeared in films such as Turning Red, Freakier Friday, Slanted and Best of the Best.
How old is she?
She was born on December 28, 2001. As of September 2026, she is 24 years old.
Where was she born?
She was born in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, where she also grew up.
What is her nationality?
She is Canadian. She also publicly identifies as Tamil-Canadian and has Sri Lankan Tamil ancestry.
Who is Devi in Never Have I Ever?
Devi Vishwakumar is the lead character of the Netflix teen series. She is a high school student trying to overcome grief over her father's death while dealing with romantic relationships, friendships, family conflicts and the insecurities typical of adolescence.
What role does she play in Best of the Best?
She plays Maya, one of the leads in Best of the Best, a Netflix comedy about two friends competing on a college Bollywood-fusion dance team.
When does Best of the Best premiere?
Netflix has set the premiere for September 18, 2026.
Who is Priya in Turning Red?
Priya Mangal is one of Mei Lee's best friends in the Pixar film Turning Red. The actress voices the character in the original English version.
Did she study acting?
She was initially accepted into York University's theater program, but later switched her studies to Human Rights and Equity Studies. She graduated from York University in 2025.
How did she land the role of Devi?
She was chosen by Mindy Kaling after an open casting call that received around 15,000 submissions. At the time, she was 17 years old and had no professional acting experience.
What other projects does she have?
Among her 2026 projects and works are Best of the Best, the second season of Elle and The Angry Birds Movie 3. She has also appeared in The Boys and various animated productions.
Does she have social media?
Her known public profiles include Instagram @maitreyiramakrishnan and X/Twitter @ramakrishnannn. IMDb lists Instagram, X, Facebook and YouTube among her external sites; the X profile also matches references from journalistic and academic sources that have cited her accounts.
What does she do outside of acting?
She has been a Global Celebrated Ambassador for Plan International Canada since 2020 and takes part in initiatives related to girls' rights, gender equality and education.
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