Charithra Chandran Explained

Charithra Chandran
Birth Name:Charithra Surya Chandran
Birth Date:17 January 1997
Birth Place:Perth, Scotland
Alma Mater:New College, Oxford
Years Active:2020–present

Charithra Surya Chandran (;[1] [2] born 17 January 1997) is a British actress. She is known for her roles in the Amazon spy thriller series Alex Rider (2021) and the Netflix period drama Bridgerton (2022).[3] [4]

Early life and education

Charithra was born in Perth, Scotland,[5] the daughter of Indian Tamil medical professionals.

Her parents separated when she was two, and she left for India with her father where she stayed with her grandparents in Tamil Nadu. Upon returning to the UK when she was four, she went to school in Liverpool. She then boarded at Moreton Hall Preparatory School in Shropshire from six to eleven before settling down with her mother in Oxford for her teenage years whilst her father lived in Wales.[6] [7]

Charithra completed sixth form at Oxford High School. She then went on to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from New College, Oxford in 2019.

She participated in a number of productions during university and joined the National Youth Theatre.[8] [9] She worked part-time for the New Policy Institute after taking a gap year, during which she did drama as a hobby before deciding to make it her career, turning down a job offer from BCG.[10]

Career

In 2021, Charithra joined the main cast of the spy thriller series Alex Rider as Sabina Pleasance for its second series on IMDb TV.[11] Having auditioned before the first series aired,[12] Charithra starred as Edwina in the second series, based on the novel The Viscount Who Loved Me, of the Shondaland-produced Netflix period drama Bridgerton alongside Jonathan Bailey and Simone Ashley in 2022.[13] [14]

In June 2022, Charithra voiced the courtesan Camille for BBC Radio 3 in an audio adaptation of Pam Gems' stage play, Camille, based on the novel La Dame aux Camélias by Alexandre Dumas fils.[15] This production was shortlisted for the 2023 BBC Audio Drama Awards, Best Adaptation.[16] This was followed by a further voice role as Mia in Meet Cute's September 2022 audio series A Mid-Semester Night's Dream. The series is a retelling of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream in which a group of graduate students discover a magical print of the play.[17]

In 2024, she made her West End debut as Eileen in Rosie Day's Instructions for a Teenage Armageddon.[18] The same year, she starred in the Amazon Prime comedy film How to Date Billy Walsh as Amelia.[19]

It was announced that Charithra will lead and associate produce Song of the Sun God, a six-part drama series based on the novel of the same name by Shankari Chandran.[20]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotesRef.
2021EternalsBollywood Dancer
2022The TalentsBekkieShort film
Class SCherry
2024How to Date Billy WalshAmelia Brown
Maya: Birth of a SuperheroTeen MayaShort film

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2021Alex RiderSabina PleasanceMain role (series 2)
2022BridgertonEdwina SharmaMain role (series 2)
2023Annisoukaline "Anni" KalfusVoice role; Episode: "I Am Your Mother"
TBAPillow TalkStellaMain role; web series
TBASong of the Sun GodLeelaMain role; associate producer
TBAArzuArzuLead role

Audio

YearTitleRoleNotesRef.
2022Meet CuteMiaPodcast series; 6 episodes
CamilleCamilleBBC Radio 3[21]
A Mid-Semester Night's DreamMiaPodcast series[22]

Music videos

Awards and nominations

Year AwardCategoryWorkResult Ref.
2022National Television AwardsRising StarBridgerton[25]
Glamour Awards[26]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The Cast of Bridgerton Guess Regency Trivia. BuzzFeed UK. 28 March 2022. 18 May 2022.
  2. Web site: Bridgerton's Charithra Chandran's Guide to a Foolproof Night-Out Look Beauty Secrets. Vogue. 30 March 2022. 18 May 2022.
  3. Charithra Chandran Opens Up About Her First Professional TV Role, in Amazon's Alex Rider. Popsugar. Navi. Ahluwalia. 22 December 2021. 7 January 2022.
  4. At the Dior Show With Bridgerton's New Heroine. Vogue. Alice. Newbold. 1 March 2022. 9 March 2022.
  5. Charithra Chandran on entering the world of Bridgerton. The Face. Jade. Wickes. 4 January 2022. 7 January 2022.
  6. Charithra Chandran: 'Friends have said I only got the Bridgerton role because I'm brown – that hurts. The Telegraph. Sarah. Bailey. 19 March 2022. 25 March 2022.
  7. Charithra Chandran: 'No one would think there would be two Indian women playing period drama leads'. Radio Times. Kelly-Anne. Taylor. 20 March 2022. 20 March 2022.
  8. Everything You Need To Know About Bridgerton S2 Star Charithra Chandran. Bustle. Rebecca. Fearn. 8 April 2021. 21 May 2021.
  9. Web site: Charithra Chandran. Jonathan Arun Group. 22 February 2022.
  10. Web site: Team: Charithra Chandran. New Policy Institute. 2 April 2021. 25 March 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220325220328/https://www.npi.org.uk/about/our-team/profile/charithra-chandran/. dead.
  11. Web site: 'Alex Rider' Season 2 Casting Details Announced – Global Bulletin. Variety. Lang. Jamie. 1 February 2021. 7 February 2021.
  12. Web site: Nordstrom . Leigh . 2022-04-07 . Charithra Chandran on Her Bridgerton 'Carnival of Joy' . 2022-05-02 . WWD . en-US.
  13. 'Bridgerton': Charithra Chandran To Play Edwina, Rupert Young Also Cast In Season 2 Of Netflix Series. Deadline. Nellie. Andreeva. April 1, 2021. 2 April 2021.
  14. Web site: The 'Bridgerton' Season 2 Cast Just Added Another Leading Lady. Hello Giggles. Olivia. Harvey. 2 April 2021. 3 April 2021.
  15. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0018h3n Camille - Drama on 3
  16. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3cy51ZhbDCPvMfp0CMSVcgw/the-2023-shortlist BBC Audio Drama Awards 2023
  17. Web site: White . Peter . 2022-06-22 . 'Bridgerton's Charithra Chandran To Star In Meet Cute's 'A Mid-Semester Night's Dream' . 2022-10-11 . Deadline . en-US.
  18. Web site: Ramachandran . Naman . 2024-02-26 . ‘Bridgerton’ Star Charithra Chandran to Produce Reality Show Based on the ‘Kama Sutra’ (EXCLUSIVE) . 2024-03-22 . Variety . en-US.
  19. Web site: 25 August 2022 . Amazon announce comedy film How To Date Billy Walsh . 25 August 2022 . British Comedy Guide.
  20. Web site: Goldbart . Max . 2022-09-29 . 'Bridgerton' Star Charithra Chandran To Lead Olivia Hetreed Drama 'Song Of The Sun God' . 2022-09-30 . Deadline . en-US.
  21. Web site: BBC Radio 3 - Drama on 3, Camille . 2022-06-27 . BBC . en-GB.
  22. Web site: White . Peter . 2022-06-22 . 'Bridgerton's Charithra Chandran To Star In Meet Cute's 'A Mid-Semester Night's Dream' . 2022-06-27 . Deadline . en-US.
  23. Web site: PinkPantheress Shops with Yara Shahidi, Charithra Chandran, India Amarteifio in Adorable 'Mosquito' Video. Bell. Sadie. 2023-09-29. 2024-05-24. People.
  24. News: Wyver . Kate . 2024-03-18 . Instructions for a Teenage Armageddon review – Bridgerton’s Charithra Chandran glows and rages . 2024-03-22 . The Guardian . en-GB . 0261-3077.
  25. Web site: NTA 2022 longlist revealed as David Tennant and Sex Education nominated. Radio Times. Lauren. Morris. 24 May 2022. 24 May 2022.
  26. Web site: Smith . Josh . 2022-11-08 . Bridgerton’s Charithra Chandran: ‘I’m a proud Indian woman, but I’m also more than that’ . 2024-03-22 . Glamour UK . en-GB.