Melanie Chandra
Melanie Chandra | |
|---|---|
 Melanie Chandra | |
| Born | Melanie Kannokada February 28, 1986[1][2] Park Ridge, Illinois, U.S. |
| Occupations | Model, actress |
| Years active | 2008–present |
| Spouse |
Neeraj Chandra (m. 2015) |
| Children | 2 |
Melanie Chandra (née Kannokada; born February 28, 1986) is an American actress, model, and co-founder of Hospital for Hope. She is best known for her roles as Malaya Pineda on the CBS medical drama Code Black and Mel in the Comedy Central television movie Hot Mess Holiday.
Early life and education
Melanie Chandra was born Melanie Kannokada to Malayali Indian parents Suresh Kannokada and Sujatha in Buffalo Grove, Illinois.[3]
After high school, Chandra earned a Mechanical Engineering degree from Stanford University.[4] Upon graduation, Chandra initially began working at consulting firm McKinsey & Company, which she left to concentrate on her interest in modeling and acting. She stated that she found the management job "intellectually fascinating" but not something she wanted to do "getting up every morning".[3]
Career
After finishing college, Chandra entered and won the 2007 Miss India America contest.[3] Chandra worked as a model and commercial actress in national and international campaigns for Nescafe, Verizon, Glamour Magazine, P&G, Crocs, Acura, Herbal Essences, LG, and Clinique.[5] In fall 2011, she was selected as one of the five faces of Bare Escentuals international "Be A Force of Beauty" campaign.[6] In fall 2012, she was selected to model in a five-page editorial spread for Vogue India Magazine.[7]
Within a week of moving to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career, Chandra successfully auditioned for guest star role in the CBS hit sitcom Rules of Engagement opposite comedian David Spade.[5] She starred in the CBS show Code Black and has guest starred in ABC Family's The Nine Lives of Chloe King, NBC's Parenthood and CBS's NCIS: Los Angeles. She also had a large recurring role on HBO's The Brink opposite Jack Black and Aasif Mandvi. In 2019, it was announced she will be developing a series called "Attachment" with HBO, alongside her co-creator and writer, Amy Aniobi, and Reese Witherspoon's Hello Sunshine.[8] In 2019, Chandra stars in Surina & Mel, a show about two American-born South Asian women living in New York City figuring out adulthood.[9] Chandra starred in the October 2021 comedy Distancing Socially. The film was shot at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, using remote technologies and the iPhone 11.[10]
In 2022, Chandra starred in the movie Lie Hard, a comedy about a pathological liar who borrows $4 million from a crime syndicate to purchase a mansion in order to impress his girlfriend's wealthy parents.[11]
Personal
Chandra is also a co-founder of Hospital for Hope, a non-profit providing healthcare services in rural India.[4] She is also a trained pianist.[12] Chandra is a 2nd degree black belt in Shotokan Karate[5] and a two-time bronze medalist in the Pan American games, where she represented the United States in sparring as part of the United States Junior National Karate Team in São Paulo in 2000, Caracas in 2001, and Orlando in 2002.[3]
Filmography
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Network | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Rules of Engagement | Simran | CBS | Guest star |
| The Nine Lives of Chloe King | Nikki Amaral | ABC Family | Guest star | |
| 2012 | Parenthood | Kirstin Mitai | NBC | Guest star |
| 2013 | Writer's Block | Vandana | MTV Desi | Series regular |
| 2014 | NCIS: Los Angeles | Ayesha | CBS | Guest star |
| 2015–2017 | Code Black | Malaya Pineda | CBS | Series regular |
| 2015 | The Brink | Fareeda | HBO | Recurring |
| 2016 | Nashville | Stephanie Leigh | ABC | Guest star |
| Brown Nation | Roli | Netflix | Recurring | |
| 2017 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Lela Samra | NBC | Guest star |
| 2024 | Elsbeth | Morgan Lee | CBS | Guest star |
| 2025 | Grey's Anatomy | Shruti Kotwani | ABC | Guest star |
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Bicycle Bride | Beena | |
| 2012 | Love Lies and Seeta | Seeta McKinsey | Leading Actress @ Indiefest 2012 Nominated – Best Actress @ World Music and Independent Film Festival |
| 2013 | D for Dopidi | Shalini | Debut Indian Telugu Film[13] |
| 2015 | For Here or to Go? | Shveta | Indo-American film[14][15] |
| 2020 | Draupadi Unleashed | Sita | Limited release[16] |
| 2021 | Distancing Socially | Ella | |
| Clifford the Big Red Dog | Susan | [17] | |
| Hot Mess Holiday | Mel | TV movie[18] | |
| 2022 | Lie Hard | Katie Reynolds | |
| 2023 | Onyx the Fortuitous and the Talisman of Souls | Jesminder |
References
- ^ "6 Indian American Women Who Are Charting Their Own Creative Paths". Harper's Bazaar. June 8, 2022.
- ^ "Today in History: Today is Monday, Feb. 28, the 59th day of 2022". [Wausau Pilot & Review]. February 28, 2022.
- ^ a b c d K. Pradeep (February 8, 2012). "The Malayali quotient in Hollywood". The Hindu. Retrieved June 22, 2015.
- ^ a b "Melanie Kannokada: Stanford grad & Hollywood actor working for upliftment of poor in Jharkhand". The Economic Times. May 19, 2013. Archived from the original on June 8, 2013. Retrieved June 22, 2015.
- ^ a b c Rohit, Parimal M. (March 29, 2011). "Lifestyle interview: Melanie Kannokada". Buzzine. Archived from the original on December 26, 2013. Retrieved December 25, 2013.
- ^ "Bare Escentuals 'Force of Beauty' Campaign features a South Asian Face". Anokhi Magazine. Archived from the original on January 7, 2012. Retrieved June 22, 2015.
- ^ "Vogue India November 2012: Melanie Kannokada". Scarlet Bindi. Archived from the original on June 22, 2015. Retrieved June 22, 2015.
- ^ Porter, Rick (March 8, 2019). "'Insecure' Producer Signs Overall Deal at HBO (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter.
- ^ "Comedy Central Filming 'Surina and Mel Light it Up' in Chicago". Screen Magazine. August 25, 2021. Retrieved January 13, 2026.
- ^ Malkin, Marc (October 7, 2020). "'Schitt's Creek' Actor Sarah Levy Cast in COVID-Inspired Indie 'Distancing Socially' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved November 23, 2023.
- ^ Billington, Alex (August 3, 2022). "Ian Niles Gets into Money Trouble in Crime Comedy 'Lie Hard' Trailer". FirstShowing. Retrieved January 13, 2026.
- ^ "About". Melanie Chandra. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
- ^ "Melanie Interview about D for Dopidi". Idlebrain. Retrieved January 13, 2026.
- ^ "'For Here or To Go?' Sparks U.S. Immigration Policy Dialogue". India West. May 15, 2015. Archived from the original on August 13, 2016. Retrieved May 16, 2020.
- ^ "'For Here or To Go' Puts a Funny Face on Immigration Woes". IndiaWest. Archived from the original on July 24, 2013. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
- ^ "Draupadi Unleashed". Rotten Tomatoes. March 20, 2020. Retrieved May 16, 2020.
- ^ Kojder, Robert (December 10, 2021). "Movie Review – Clifford the Big Red Dog (2021)". Flickering Myth. Retrieved January 13, 2026.
- ^ Cordero, Rosy (December 11, 2021). "'Hot Mess Holiday': Melanie Chandra and Surina Jindal Expand On Diwali Celebration Beyond 'The Office'". Deadline. Retrieved December 12, 2021.