Sophie Khan Levy Explained

Birth Name:Sophie Shaheen Khan Levy
Birth Date:25 July 1989
Birth Place:Wandsworth, South London, England
Occupation:Actress
Television:EastEnders
Years Active:2010–present

Sophie Shaheen Khan Levy (born 25 July 1989) is an English actress. Levy has appeared in Royal Shakespeare Company productions, such as Cymbeline (2013), Love's Labour's Lost (2014), A Midsummer Night's Dream (2015) and As You Like It (2019). In 2023, she was cast in the BBC soap opera EastEnders as Priya Nandra-Hart.

Early life

Levy was born in 1989 in Wandsworth, South London. Her mother is actress Shaheen Khan who starred in Bend it Like Beckham. She is of mixed race descent.[1] Her mother, Shaheen Khan, set up Tara Arts, one of the country's first acting schools specifically for Asian actors. In her youth, Levy lived in Canada with her cousin for a year and a half.[2] Levy graduated from the University of Warwick, after which she studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.[3] Whilst at Guildhall, she appeared in numerous stage productions, including As You Like It, Merrily We Roll Along and A Respectable Wedding.[4]

Career

Upon graduating from Guildhall in 2013, Levy appeared in Cymbeline, for which she received critical acclaim.[5] She was then contracted by the Royal Shakespeare Company to appear in various productions.[6] [7] They described her as a "fiercely intelligent and brilliant actress". She performed in Hanna, a one-woman show, in 2018, for which she received numerous positive reviews.[8] The Independent wrote that Levy had "a lovely unforced naturalness" and performed the play beautifully,[9] while The Guardian admired her "compelling performance and sympathetic naturalness".[10]

In 2022, Levy starred in three episodes of the Channel 5 series All Creatures Great and Small.[11] Then in 2023, she appeared in an episode of The Sixth Commandment, as well as being cast in the BBC One soap opera EastEnders as Priya Nandra-Hart.[12] [13]

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
2013The Last BusAliceShort film
2016RidePoppyGuest role
2020AvernusLouShort film
2022MammalsBethGuest role
2022All Creatures Great and SmallFlorence PandhiRecurring role
2023The Sixth CommandmentGabrielle AdeGuest role
2023–presentEastEndersPriya Nandra-HartRegular role

Stage

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Sophie Shaheen K Khan-Levy . . 24 December 2023 . 24 December 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231224154838/https://www.genesreunited.co.uk/search/results?sourcecategory=birthsutf002c%20marriages%20utf0026%20deaths&collection=births%20utf0026%20baptisms&firstname=sophie&firstname_variants=true&lastname=khan-levy&lastname_variants=true&birthyear=1989&birthyear_offset=0&region=great%20britain . live .
  2. News: Kolvin . Jessie . An interview with Sophie Khan Levy, the Warwick graduate starring at the RSC . 24 December 2023 . The Boar . 12 February 2019 . 19 October 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231019015953/https://theboar.org/2019/02/interview-sophie-khan-levy-warwick-graduate-starring-rsc/ . live .
  3. News: Banim . Julia . BBC EastEnders' Priya Nandra-Hart's huge TV role before she signed up for Albert Square . 24 December 2023 . . 28 October 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231028114010/https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/eastenders-priya-nandra-harts-huge-31240291 . live .
  4. Web site: LIVING WITH ROSE . . 24 December 2023 . 20 October 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231020221343/https://www.rsc.org.uk/news/archive/living-with-rose . live .
  5. News: REVIEW: Bollywood meets Shakespeare in Cymbeline at Taunton's Tacchi-Morris . 24 December 2023 . . 4 October 2013 . 24 December 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231224154839/https://www.somersetcountygazette.co.uk/news/10717604.review-bollywood-meets-shakespeare-cymbeline-tauntons-tacchi-morris/ . live .
  6. News: Guildhall School of Music & Drama Prospectus 2020 . 24 December 2023 . Issuu . 25 February 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230225045721/https://issuu.com/guildhallschool/docs/2020_guildhall_school_prospectus_di . live .
  7. Web site: 2013-Drama: Khan-Levy, Brown & Walshe-McBride on The Laramie Project . . 24 December 2023 . 24 December 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231224154839/https://soundcloud.com/guildhallschool/2013-06-13-sophie-khan-levy . live .
  8. News: Emerging performer Sophie Khan Levy wows critics and audiences alike with her performance in 'Hanna' . 24 December 2023 . Asian Culture Vulture . 28 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230528202241/https://asianculturevulture.com/portfolios/emerging-performer-sophie-khan-levy-wows-critics-audiences-alike-performance-hanna/ . live .
  9. News: Taylor . Paul . Hanna, Arcola Theatre, London, review: Beautifully performed by Sophie Khan Levy . 24 December 2023 . . 10 October 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231010081645/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/theatre-dance/reviews/hanna-arcola-theatre-review-a8147781.html . live .
  10. News: Kellaway . Kate . Hanna review – an emotional tug-of-war . 24 December 2023 . . 22 January 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180122125731/https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2018/jan/14/hannah-girl-from-the-north-country-review . live .
  11. News: Morris . Grace . All Creatures Great and Small star joins EastEnders in SHOCK Ravi baby twist . 24 December 2023 . . 2 October 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231002123434/https://www.whattowatch.com/news/emb-2030-hours-thursday-21st-september-all-creatures-star-joins-eastenders-in-shock-ravi-baby-twist . live .
  12. News: Sophie Khan Levy joins EastEnders as Priya, Ravi’s ex and Nugget’s mum . 24 December 2023 . Entertainment Daily . 24 December 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231224154839/https://www.entertainmentdaily.com/soaps/who-does-sophie-khan-levy-play-in-eastenders-where-have-you-seen-her-before/ . live .
  13. News: EastEnders' Priya star Sophie Khan Levy's life off screen and where viewers know her from . 24 December 2023 . . 23 October 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231023135949/https://www.ok.co.uk/lifestyle/eastenders-sophie-khan-levy-life-31220376 . live .
  14. News: Zammitt . Erin . EastEnders sweeps the board at the Digital Spy Reader Awards 2023 . 26 December 2023 . Digital Spy.