Freida Pinto
Encyclopedia
Freida Pinto is an Indian actress and model best known for her portrayal of Latika in the 2008 Academy Award winning film Slumdog Millionaire
, for which she won a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture. In 2010, she starred in the films You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger
and as the title character in Miral
, and in 2011, she starred in the box-office hit Rise of the Planet of the Apes.
, which she still refers to as Bombay out of habit. Her surname is Portuguese and Pinto has said that she probably has distant Portuguese ancestry. Her mother, Sylvia, is a principal of St John's Universal High School (Goregaon
), and her father, Frederick, is a senior branch manager at the Bank of Baroda
. Her older sister Sharon is an associate producer for the NDTV
news channel. Pinto dreamed of becoming an actress since she was five years old. When Freida was ten, Sushmita Sen
won Miss Universe 1994
, which turned out to be a defining point in Freida's life. She studied at Carmel of St. Joseph School in Malad, Mumbai and completed her Bachelor of Arts
(BA) with a major in English Literature, and minors in Psychology and Economics, from St. Xavier's College, Mumbai. She also acted in plays and amateur theater while attending St. Xavier's. She later joined Elite Model Management and modeled for two and a half years.
, Pinto anchored the international travel show, Full Circle, on Zee International Asia Pacific
in English between 2006-08. Pinto was also featured in several television and print advertisements for products such as Wrigley's Chewing Gum
, Škoda
, Vodafone India
, Airtel
, and DeBeers. Pinto modeled for four years and appeared in runway shows and magazine covers. She learned acting from The Barry John's Acting Studio in Andheri and was trained by theatre director Barry John
. After six months of auditions, she received a call to audition for Slumdog Millionaire. Pinto auditioned for Danny Boyle
and was short-listed and finally selected to star in Slumdog Millionaire.
Pinto made her feature film debut in 2008 in Slumdog Millionaire playing the role of Latika, the girl with whom Jamal (Dev Patel
) is in love. At the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival
, the movie won the Cadillac People's Choice Award. At the 2009 Golden Globe Awards
, the movie won four awards. Pinto herself was nominated for "Best Actress in a Supporting Role
" at the 2009 BAFTA Awards
, She won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture alongside other cast members from Slumdog Millionaire.
Pinto co-starred in Woody Allen
's comedy-drama film
You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger
, with Antonio Banderas
, Josh Brolin
, Anthony Hopkins
, Anupam Kher
and Naomi Watts
, which premiered at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival
. Pinto appeared in the 2011 science fiction film
Rise of the Planet of the Apes, a reboot of the Planet of the Apes
series, opposite James Franco
. She played Caroline, a primatologist, in the film. She also appeared in the 2011 fantasy-action-drama film, Immortals, in which she played the oracle priestess Phaedra
. Also in 2011, she will play Princess Lallah in the 1930s set Black Gold.
and Steffi Graf
to support their philanthropic organisation "Agassi Foundation". She is the only Indian actress to have participated in their annual fund raiser titled, "The 15th Grand Slam for Children", that aims at raising funds for education of underprivileged children.
magazine's "Most Beautiful People List", and "List of World's Best Dressed Women". She was also featured in the "Top 99 Most Desirable Women" poll conducted by Askmen.com
in 2010. According to The Daily Telegraph
, she is currently the highest paid Indian actress (she is not considered a Bollywood star as she never appeared in a Bollywood film). She has also been listed in the top ten list of the fashion magazine Vogue
s 2009 annual list of the most stylish women. On 13 May 2009, Pinto became a new spokesmodel for L'Oréal
. Near the end of 2010, Pinto was ranked #6 in TC Candler's list of "Most Beautiful Faces".
Slumdog Millionaire
Slumdog Millionaire is a 2008 British epic romantic drama adventure film directed by Danny Boyle, written by Simon Beaufoy, and co-directed in India by Loveleen Tandan. It is an adaptation of the novel Q & A by Indian author and diplomat Vikas Swarup...
, for which she won a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture. In 2010, she starred in the films You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger
You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger
You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger is a 2010 English-language Spanish-American co-production comedy-drama film written and directed by Woody Allen. It features Antonio Banderas, Josh Brolin, Anthony Hopkins, Gemma Jones, Freida Pinto, Lucy Punch, Naomi Watts, Roger Ashton-Griffiths and Pauline...
and as the title character in Miral
Miral
Miral is a 2010 biographical political film directed by Julian Schnabel. The screenplay was written by Rula Jebreal, based on her novel. The film was released on 3 September at the 2010 Venice Film Festival and on 15 September 2010 in France. The film was set for release on 3 December 2010 in the...
, and in 2011, she starred in the box-office hit Rise of the Planet of the Apes.
Early life
Freida Pinto was born on 18 October 1984 to a Mangalorean Catholic family in MumbaiMumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
, which she still refers to as Bombay out of habit. Her surname is Portuguese and Pinto has said that she probably has distant Portuguese ancestry. Her mother, Sylvia, is a principal of St John's Universal High School (Goregaon
Goregaon
Goregaon is the locality situated at the north of Mumbai . It is a railway station on the Mumbai suburban railway on the Western Railway railway line....
), and her father, Frederick, is a senior branch manager at the Bank of Baroda
Bank of Baroda
Bank of Baroda is the third largest bank in India, after the State Bank of India and the Punjab National Bank and ahead of ICICI Bank. BoB is ranked 763 in Forbes Global 2000 list. BoB has total assets in excess of Rs. 3.58 lakh crores, or Rs. 3,583 billion, a network of over 3,409 branches and...
. Her older sister Sharon is an associate producer for the NDTV
NDTV
NDTV is an Indian commercial broadcasting television network founded in 1988. It was founded by Prannoy Roy, an eminent journalist and current chairman and director of NDTV Group. NDTV currently has more than 1,000 employees producing news from over twenty locations in India...
news channel. Pinto dreamed of becoming an actress since she was five years old. When Freida was ten, Sushmita Sen
Sushmita Sen
Sushmita Sen is an Indian actress who appears in mainly Bollywood films. A former model, Sen was crowned Miss Universe in 1994. She was the first Indian woman to win the contest.-Personal life:Sen was born on 19 November 1975....
won Miss Universe 1994
Miss Universe 1994
Miss Universe 1994, the 43rd Miss Universe pageant, was held at the Plenary Hall of the Philippine International Convention Center, in Manila, Philippines on May 20, 1994...
, which turned out to be a defining point in Freida's life. She studied at Carmel of St. Joseph School in Malad, Mumbai and completed her Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
(BA) with a major in English Literature, and minors in Psychology and Economics, from St. Xavier's College, Mumbai. She also acted in plays and amateur theater while attending St. Xavier's. She later joined Elite Model Management and modeled for two and a half years.
Acting career
Before starring in Slumdog MillionaireSlumdog Millionaire
Slumdog Millionaire is a 2008 British epic romantic drama adventure film directed by Danny Boyle, written by Simon Beaufoy, and co-directed in India by Loveleen Tandan. It is an adaptation of the novel Q & A by Indian author and diplomat Vikas Swarup...
, Pinto anchored the international travel show, Full Circle, on Zee International Asia Pacific
Zee TV
Zee TV is an India-based satellite television channel owned by Zee Entertainment Enterprises based in Mumbai, Maharashtra, which broadcasts various programmes in Hindi and other regional languages of India. Broadcasting is also present in various nations of South Asia, Europe, the Middle East,...
in English between 2006-08. Pinto was also featured in several television and print advertisements for products such as Wrigley's Chewing Gum
Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company
The William Wrigley Jr. Company is a company headquartered in the Wrigley Building in Near North Side, Chicago, Illinois. The company was founded on April 1, 1891, originally selling products such as soap and baking powder. In 1892, William Wrigley, Jr., the company's founder, began packaging...
, Škoda
Škoda Auto
Škoda Auto , more commonly known as Škoda, is an automobile manufacturer based in the Czech Republic. Škoda became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group in 2000, positioned as the entry brand to the group...
, Vodafone India
Vodafone Essar
Vodafone Essar, formerly Hutchison Essar, is a cellular operator in India that covers 23 telecom circles in India. It is based in Mumbai. On July 2011, Vodafone Group agreed terms for the buy-out of its partner Essar from its Indian mobile phone business. The UK firm paid $5.46 billion to its...
, Airtel
Bharti Airtel
Bharti Airtel Limited , commonly known as Airtel, is an Indian telecommunications company that operates in 20 countries across South Asia, Africa and the Channel Islands. It operates a GSM network in all countries, providing 2G or 3G services depending upon the country of operation...
, and DeBeers. Pinto modeled for four years and appeared in runway shows and magazine covers. She learned acting from The Barry John's Acting Studio in Andheri and was trained by theatre director Barry John
Barry John (theatre director)
Barry John is a British born, Indian theatre director and teacher, who was the Founder-Director of 'Theatre Action Group' , one of the early theatre group based in Delhi. In 1997, he launched Imago Media Company, along with Sanjay Sujitabh, and also started Imago Acting School in Delhi, both of...
. After six months of auditions, she received a call to audition for Slumdog Millionaire. Pinto auditioned for Danny Boyle
Danny Boyle
Daniel "Danny" Boyle is an English filmmaker and producer. He is best known for his work on films such as Slumdog Millionaire, 127 Hours, 28 Days Later, Sunshine and Trainspotting. For Slumdog Millionaire, Boyle won numerous awards in 2008, including the Academy Award for Best Director...
and was short-listed and finally selected to star in Slumdog Millionaire.
Pinto made her feature film debut in 2008 in Slumdog Millionaire playing the role of Latika, the girl with whom Jamal (Dev Patel
Dev Patel
Dev Patel is a British actor. He is best known for playing Jamal Malik in Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire , for which Patel won a number of awards, including a Critics' Choice Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award...
) is in love. At the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival
Toronto International Film Festival
The Toronto International Film Festival is a publicly-attended film festival held each September in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. In 2010, 339 films from 59 countries were screened at 32 screens in downtown Toronto venues...
, the movie won the Cadillac People's Choice Award. At the 2009 Golden Globe Awards
66th Golden Globe Awards
The 66th Golden Globe Awards Ceremony was broadcast on January 11, 2009, from the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, United States on the NBC TV network...
, the movie won four awards. Pinto herself was nominated for "Best Actress in a Supporting Role
BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Best Actress in a Supporting Role is a British Academy Film award presented annually by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts to recognize an actress who has delivered an outstanding supporting performance in a film...
" at the 2009 BAFTA Awards
62nd British Academy Film Awards
The 62nd British Academy Film Awards, hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, took place on 8 February 2009, and honoured the best films of 2008.-Best Actor:Mickey Rourke – The Wrestler*Frank Langella – Frost/Nixon...
, She won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture alongside other cast members from Slumdog Millionaire.
Pinto co-starred in Woody Allen
Woody Allen
Woody Allen is an American screenwriter, director, actor, comedian, jazz musician, author, and playwright. Allen's films draw heavily on literature, sexuality, philosophy, psychology, Jewish identity, and the history of cinema...
's comedy-drama film
Comedy-drama
Comedy-drama is a genre of theatre, film and television programs which combines humorous and serious content.-Theatre:Traditional western theatre, beginning with the ancient Greeks, was divided into comedy and tragedy...
You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger
You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger
You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger is a 2010 English-language Spanish-American co-production comedy-drama film written and directed by Woody Allen. It features Antonio Banderas, Josh Brolin, Anthony Hopkins, Gemma Jones, Freida Pinto, Lucy Punch, Naomi Watts, Roger Ashton-Griffiths and Pauline...
, with Antonio Banderas
Antonio Banderas
José Antonio Domínguez Banderas , better known as Antonio Banderas, is a Spanish film actor, film director, film producer and singer...
, Josh Brolin
Josh Brolin
Josh James Brolin is an American actor. He has acted in theater, film and television roles since 1985, and won acting awards for his roles in the films W., No Country for Old Men, Milk and True Grit.-Early life:...
, Anthony Hopkins
Anthony Hopkins
Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins, KBE , best known as Anthony Hopkins, is a Welsh actor of film, stage and television...
, Anupam Kher
Anupam Kher
Anupam Kher is an Indian actor who has appeared in nearly 400 films and 100 plays. Though mainly appearing in Bollywood films, he has had roles in some films from other nations as well...
and Naomi Watts
Naomi Watts
Naomi Ellen Watts is a British actress. Watts began her career in Australian television, where she appeared in series such as Hey Dad..! , Brides of Christ , and Home and Away . Her film debut was the 1986 drama For Love Alone...
, which premiered at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival
2010 Cannes Film Festival
The 63rd annual Cannes Film Festival was held from May 12 to May 23, 2010, in Cannes, France. The Cannes Film Festival, hailed as being one of the most recognized and prestigious film festivals worldwide, was founded in 1946. It consists of having films screened in and out of competition during the...
. Pinto appeared in the 2011 science fiction film
Science fiction film
Science fiction film is a film genre that uses science fiction: speculative, science-based depictions of phenomena that are not necessarily accepted by mainstream science, such as extraterrestrial life forms, alien worlds, extrasensory perception, and time travel, often along with futuristic...
Rise of the Planet of the Apes, a reboot of the Planet of the Apes
Planet of the Apes (franchise)
Planet of the Apes is a United States media franchise with seven films , two television series, and comic books. The series began with the 1968 science fiction film Planet of the Apes, which was based on the 1963 French novel La Planète des singes by Pierre Boulle.-Background:The original series of...
series, opposite James Franco
James Franco
James Edward Franco is an American actor, film director, producer, screenwriter, author, painter, performance artist and instructor at New York University. He left college in order to pursue acting and started off his career by making guest appearances on television series in the 1990s...
. She played Caroline, a primatologist, in the film. She also appeared in the 2011 fantasy-action-drama film, Immortals, in which she played the oracle priestess Phaedra
Phaedra (mythology)
In Greek mythology, Phaedra is the daughter of Minos and Pasiphaë, wife of Theseus and the mother of Demophon of Athens and Acamas. Phaedra's name derives from the Greek word φαιδρός , which meant "bright"....
. Also in 2011, she will play Princess Lallah in the 1930s set Black Gold.
Other work
Pinto has joined Andre AgassiAndre Agassi
Andre Kirk Agassi is a retired American professional tennis player and former world no. 1. Generally considered by critics and fellow players to be one of the greatest tennis players of all time, Agassi has been called the best service returner in the history of the game...
and Steffi Graf
Steffi Graf
Steffi Graf is a former World No. 1 German tennis player.In total, Graf won 22 Grand Slam singles titles, second among male and female players only to Margaret Court's 24...
to support their philanthropic organisation "Agassi Foundation". She is the only Indian actress to have participated in their annual fund raiser titled, "The 15th Grand Slam for Children", that aims at raising funds for education of underprivileged children.
Popular reception
Pinto is featured in PeoplePeople (magazine)
In 1998, the magazine introduced a version targeted at teens called Teen People. However, on July 27, 2006, the company announced it would shut down publication of Teen People immediately. The last issue to be released was scheduled for September 2006. Subscribers to this magazine received...
magazine's "Most Beautiful People List", and "List of World's Best Dressed Women". She was also featured in the "Top 99 Most Desirable Women" poll conducted by Askmen.com
AskMen.com
AskMen.com is a free online men’s web portal, with international versions in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, and Australia.-History:...
in 2010. According to The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
, she is currently the highest paid Indian actress (she is not considered a Bollywood star as she never appeared in a Bollywood film). She has also been listed in the top ten list of the fashion magazine Vogue
Vogue (magazine)
Vogue is a fashion and lifestyle magazine that is published monthly in 18 national and one regional edition by Condé Nast.-History:In 1892 Arthur Turnure founded Vogue as a weekly publication in the United States. When he died in 1909, Condé Montrose Nast picked up the magazine and slowly began...
s 2009 annual list of the most stylish women. On 13 May 2009, Pinto became a new spokesmodel for L'Oréal
L'Oréal
The L'Oréal Group is the world's largest cosmetics and beauty company. With its registered office in Paris and head office in the Paris suburb of Clichy, Hauts-de-Seine, France, it has developed activities in the field of cosmetics...
. Near the end of 2010, Pinto was ranked #6 in TC Candler's list of "Most Beautiful Faces".
Filmography
| Year | Film | Role | Notes and Awards |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Slumdog Millionaire Slumdog Millionaire Slumdog Millionaire is a 2008 British epic romantic drama adventure film directed by Danny Boyle, written by Simon Beaufoy, and co-directed in India by Loveleen Tandan. It is an adaptation of the novel Q & A by Indian author and diplomat Vikas Swarup... |
Latika | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Palm Springs International Film Festival Palm Springs International Film Festival Palm Springs International Film Festival is a film festival held in Palm Springs, California. It was started in 1989 and is held annually in January... – Breakthrough Performance Award Nominated – BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role Best Actress in a Supporting Role is a British Academy Film award presented annually by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts to recognize an actress who has delivered an outstanding supporting performance in a film... Nominated – Black Reel Awards of 2008 Black Reel Awards of 2008 The following is a list of the nominees and winners of the 2008 Black Reel Awards.... – Best Ensemble Nominated – MTV Movie Award for Best Female Breakthrough Performance MTV Movie Award for Best Breakthrough Performance This is a following list of the MTV Movie Award winners and nominees for Best Breakthrough Performance. In many years, the awards were split into Male and Female categories... Nominated – MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss This is a following list for the MTV Movie Award winners and nominees for Best Kiss.This is a following list for the MTV Movie Award winners and nominees for Best Kiss.... |
| 2010 | You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger is a 2010 English-language Spanish-American co-production comedy-drama film written and directed by Woody Allen. It features Antonio Banderas, Josh Brolin, Anthony Hopkins, Gemma Jones, Freida Pinto, Lucy Punch, Naomi Watts, Roger Ashton-Griffiths and Pauline... |
Dia | |
| 2010 | Miral Miral Miral is a 2010 biographical political film directed by Julian Schnabel. The screenplay was written by Rula Jebreal, based on her novel. The film was released on 3 September at the 2010 Venice Film Festival and on 15 September 2010 in France. The film was set for release on 3 December 2010 in the... |
Miral | |
| 2011 | Rise of the Planet of the Apes | Caroline | |
| 2011 | Trishna | Trishna | |
| 2011 | Immortals | Phaedra Phaedra (mythology) In Greek mythology, Phaedra is the daughter of Minos and Pasiphaë, wife of Theseus and the mother of Demophon of Athens and Acamas. Phaedra's name derives from the Greek word φαιδρός , which meant "bright".... |
|
| 2011 | Black Gold | Princess Lallah |