Poorna Jagannathan

Poorna Jagannathan (also credited as Poorna; 普爾娜·雅格娜森) is an American actress and producer of Indian heritage, born on December 22, 1972, in Tunis, Tunisia. Celebrated for sharp, emotionally grounded performances, she has built a career spanning prestige television, independent film, and studio features.

She drew wide attention for playing Safar Khan in HBO’s acclaimed limited series The Night Of, and reached a global audience as Nalini Vishwakumar on Netflix’s hit coming-of-age comedy Never Have I Ever. Her screen work is marked by characters that balance authority, vulnerability, and wit.

Beyond acting, Jagannathan co-created, produced, and performed in the stage work Nirbhaya, an urgent piece of human-rights theatre often cited as a landmark in conversations around women’s empowerment in India. Her impact has been recognized with Goldhouse’s “Top 100 Most Impactful Asians” in America (2021, 2022), a feature in People’s 2024 “The Beautiful Issue,” and Verve’s 2014 list of India’s most powerful women.

Her notable film credits include Delhi Belly, Thanks for Sharing, Peace, Love & Misunderstanding, Carrie Pilby, The Out-Laws, Wolfs, and Goodrich.