| Film and television actress, producer Date of Birth: Country: USA |
Jagannathan Pourna was born in Tunisia to a diplomat and grew up in various countries including Pakistan, Ireland, India, Brazil, and Argentina. She is fluent in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Hindi, and Tamil. Jagannathan Pourna earned a degree in journalism from the University of Maryland, followed by further training at the Actors Studio Drama School in New York City.
Jagannathan Pourna has appeared in various television shows, including "Better Call Saul," "The Blacklist," and "Law & Order." In , she gained critical acclaim for her role in the HBO series "The Night Of." In the same year, she also joined the cast of the Netflix series "Gypsy."
In , Jagannathan Pourna was announced as a cast member in the second season of the HBO series "Big Little Lies," playing the role of Katie Richmond. She also starred in the film "The Repost," which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and was acquired by HBO.
Moved by the sensational gang rape and murder in Delhi on December 16, , Jagannathan Pourna conceived and produced a play titled "Nirbhaya" ("fearless," a pseudonym given to the victim). Inspired by the rape and murder of Jyoti Singh Pandey, the play used the tragic incident as a catalyst to break the societal silence on sexual violence. "Nirbhaya" premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in and garnered numerous awards and critical praise.
Jagannathan Pourna has been recognized for her work both on and off-screen. In , she was named one of India's "50 Most Beautiful Women" by Femina magazine. In , she was listed among the 50 most influential women in India. "Nirbhaya" won the Amnesty International Award in and was praised by The Daily Telegraph as "one of the most powerful pieces of theatre you will ever see."
On April 24, , Jagannathan Pourna starred in the Apple TV+ miniseries "Defending Jacob," portraying the role of Dr. Elizabeth Vogel.