Pearl Chanda Explained

Birth Name:Pearl Iannelli Chanda
Birth Date:11 March 1992
Birth Place:Balham, London, England
Alma Mater:RADA
Occupation:Actress
Years Active:2011–present

Pearl Iannelli Chanda (born 11 March 1992) is an English actress.

Early life

Chanda was born in Balham, in the south London Borough of Wandsworth. She is of Indian and Italian descent. She attended the BRIT School, a specialist performing arts school in Croydon. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in acting from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in 2013.[1]

Career

Chanda gained prominence through her work in theatre, making her stage debut in 2013 as Nina in the Headlong production of The Seagull.[2] The following year, she made her television debut with a guest appearance in an episode of the BBC One soap opera Holby City.[3] She played Julia in the 2014 Royal Shakespeare Company production of The Two Gentlemen of Verona.

Chanda appeared in the 2015 ITV miniseries Arthur & George as Maud Edalji. That same year, she had stage roles in Crave at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield,[4] The Angry Brigade at the Bush Theatre in London, and The Glass Menagerie at the Nuffield Theatre in Southampton. This was followed by roles in Ink at the Almeida and Duke of York's Theatre in 2017, One for Sorrow at the Royal Court Theatre in 2018, and Three Sisters in 2019, also at the Almeida.[5] Meanwhile, she had a small role in Motherland on BBC Two.

In 2020, Chanda played DC Laura Simpson in the first series of the ITV crime drama McDonald & Dodds, and Nilufer in two episodes of Michaela Coel's BBC One limited series I May Destroy You.[6] She also had a film role in the horror film Marionnette. Chanda joined the main cast of the British-French science fiction production War of the Worlds for its second and third series, as Zoe.[7]

Chanda played Cassie in the stage adaptation of The Taxidermist's Daughter at the Chichester Festival Theatre in 2022.[8] She appears in the 2022 mystery comedy film See How They Run as Sheila Sim. Chanda was able to discuss the role and character with Sim’s son Michael Attenborough whom Chanda had worked with previously.[9]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2014Mr. TurnerTheatre Actor
2016The Big Return of Ray LamereLillyShort film
2020MarionetteMargie
2022See How They RunSheila Sim

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2013Holby CityImogen ParkerEpisode: "Father's Day"
2014Royal Shakespeare Company: The Two Gentlemen of VeronaJuliaRecording
2015Arthur & GeorgeMaud EdaljiMiniseries
2017EndeavourBettina PettybonEpiosde: "Canticle"
MotherlandDebbie Louise2 episodes
2020McDonald & DoddsDC Laura Simpson2 episodes
I May Destroy YouNilufer2 episodes
2021War of the WorldsZoeMain role (season 2-3)
2024Mary & GeorgeFrances Carr, Countess of SomersetMiniseries

Stage

YearTitleRoleNotes
2012The SeagullNinaHeadlong
2013GodchildMinnieHampstead Theatre, London
2014The Two Gentlemen of VeronaJuliaRoyal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon
2015CraveCSheffield Crucible Theatre
The Angry BrigadeAnna / HendersonBush Theatre, London
The Glass MenagerieLauraNuffield Theatre, Southampton
2017InkStephanie RahnAlmeida Theatre / Duke of York's Theatre, London
2018One for SorrowImogenRoyal Court Theatre, London
2019Three SistersMashaAlmeida Theatre
2022The Taxidermist's DaughterCassieChichester Festival Theatre
2023The White FactoryRivka KaufmanMarylebone Theatre, London
2023–2024The House of Bernarda AlbaMagdalenaNational Theatre, London
2024The Harmony TestZoeHampstead Theatre, London

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Pearl Chanda. RADA. 23 January 2022.
  2. Web site: Pearl Chanda - People. Headlong Theatre. 23 January 2022.
  3. Former Holby City star Pearl Chanda responds to the BBC axing the long-running show. Digital Spy. Sam. Warner. 22 July 2021. 30 June 2022.
  4. Web site: Theatre Collective Spotlight: Pearl Chanda. Empower Her Voice. 27 July 2021. 30 June 2022.
  5. Web site: BWW Interview: Pearl Chanda Talks THREE SISTERS. BroadwayWorld. Rona. Kelly. 19 April 2019. 23 January 2022.
  6. I May Destroy You cast: Who is actress Pearl Chanda?. Express. Molli. Mitchell. 1 July 2020. 6 July 2022.
  7. War of the Worlds star Pearl Chanda details 'inspiring' season 2 storyline. Express. Christian. Abbott. 21 July 2021. 30 June 2022.
  8. Web site: The Taxidermist's Daughter cast revealed by Chichester Festival Theatre. WhatsOnStage. Tom. Millward. 28 February 2022. 6 July 2022.
  9. Web site: Exclusive Interview – Pearl Chanda on See How They Run. Flickeringmyth.com.