Freida Pinto

Freida Pinto (also credited as Freida Selena Pinto) is an Indian screen actor born on October 18, 1984, in Bombay (Mumbai), Maharashtra. Raised in the city, she set her sights on acting early, sharpening her craft through student theatre while studying at St. Xavier’s College before moving into modeling and television presenting.

Her international breakthrough arrived with her feature debut in Slumdog Millionaire (2008), a launchpad that quickly positioned her within major American and British productions. The film’s awards-season momentum opened doors to a run of high-profile projects, including You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger and Miral, where she began building a reputation for grounded, emotionally direct performances.

Pinto balanced prestige dramas with mainstream hits, notably Rise of the Planet of the Apes as Caroline Aranha and Immortals as Phaedra, while continuing to take on character-driven roles such as Trishna and Black Gold. Her filmography also includes A Christmas Number One and The Boy at the Back of the Class.

Often discussed for challenging narrow portrayals of Indian women in Western cinema, Pinto has remained more visible abroad than in top-tier Indian studio fare. Beyond acting, she is widely associated with humanitarian advocacy and speaking out on women’s empowerment.