Leeanda Reddy

{{Short description|South African actress}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox person | name = Leeanda Reddy | other_names = | image = leeanda reddy 2016 1.jpg | image_size = | alt = | caption = Reddy in 2016 | birth_date = | birth_name = Leeanda Antoinette Reddy | birth_place = Durban, South Africa | death_date = | death_place = | resting_place = | resting_place_coordinates =  | nationality = | alma_mater = University of KwaZulu-Natal | education = Crystal Point Secondary school | height = | years_active = 2004–present | partner = | spouse = Clive Chetty | children = 2 | awards = | father = | mother = | relatives = | signature = | website = | footnotes = | occupation = Actor, MC, producer, writer, stand-up comedian }}

'''Leeanda Antoinette Reddy''' is a South African actress. She is best known for her roles in the popular series ''Cape Town'', ''Scandal!'' and ''Isidingo''.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-11-23 |title=LEEANDA REDDY – JHB |url=https://www.top-comedians.co.za/comedians/leeanda-reddy/ |website=top-comedians}}</ref>

==Personal life== She was born in Durban, South Africa and is of Indian origin, including Telugu ancestry.<ref name="briefly" /> She spent her childhood in Chatsworth and Phoenix in Durban. She completed her education at Crystal Point Secondary school, then got her BA degree in Speech and Drama at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in Durban.<ref name="briefly">{{Cite web |date=2020-11-23 |title=Leeanda Reddy |url=https://briefly.co.za/59525-leeanda-reddy-bio-family-stand-comedy-isidingo-movies-soapies-profile.html |access-date=2020-11-23 |website=briefly}}</ref>

She is married to her longtime partner Clive Chetty. The couple has two sons.{{cn|date=November 2023}}

==Career== She started her acting career with theater productions in several theaters in South Africa such as Opera and Loft theaters, Market and Civic theaters, Durban playhouse, Sneddon, and Grahamstown. Later, her talent was recognized by The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) where she was invited to present a solo play ''At the Edge''. The play was performed at the International Theater Festival in New Delhi, India, in 2000. The role became her breakthrough in acting career.<ref name="briefly" /> Leeanda has performed in South Africa, India, and Scotland.

Meanwhile, she joined the television and hosted the magazine show 'Big City'. Then she was shifted to hosting 'Citylife'. In 2005, she was invited to play the role, 'Vanashree Devan', on the eTV television soapie ''Scandal!''. She played the role until 2006 and then joined with the serial ''Backstage'' on eTV. In 2013, she performed with Naomi Watts in the film ''Diana''. In 2016, she acted in the crime thriller television serial ''Cape Town'' and played the role 'Kumari Nayar'. In 2017, she appeared in the international film ''The Dark Tower'', and played the role 'Dr. Weizak' along with renowned actor Idris Elba.<ref name="briefly" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-11-23 |title=LEEANDA REDDY Comical MC - Johannesburg |url=http://www.entertainment-online.co.za/leeandareddy.htm |access-date=2020-11-23 |website=entertainment |archive-date=7 July 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170707121233/http://www.entertainment-online.co.za/leeandareddy.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 2008, she acted with Leon Schuster in popular comedy film ''Mr. Bones 2: Back from the Past''. She is also the co-founder of film production company 'Mustard Seed Productions' founded in 2008 with her friend, Krijay Govender. In 2012, she starred in the play ''iNkaba'' as 'Prevashnee'. In 2015, she joined the cast of popular soapie ''Isidingo'' and played the popular role 'Priya Kumar'.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-11-23 |title=About Leeanda Reddy |url=http://www.djsa.co.za/performer/leeanda-reddy/ |access-date=2020-11-23 |website=djsa}}</ref> In 2016, she was nominated for the SAFTA's Best Lead Actress award.{{citation needed|date=December 2020}}

Apart from acting, she is also a writer, director, producer of stage productions where she was featured in the VW Toureg campaign, Woolworth's billboard, print, billboard TVC campaigns, and the Budget Insurance television infomercials. Meanwhile, she became a stand-up comedian that performed in both international and local theaters.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-11-23 |title=Leeanda Reddy career |url=http://www.blaque-ent.com/leeanda-reddy.html |access-date=2020-11-23 |website=blaque-ent |archive-date=1 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201201040142/http://www.blaque-ent.com/leeanda-reddy.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> In stage, she has performed comedy roles including: 'Lady Macbeth' in Stephen Gurney's ''Macbeth'', 'Viola' in ''Ralph'', and 'Titania' in ''A Midsummer Night's Dream''. She also played thirty different characters in a one-woman show titled ''Ronnie Govender''.<ref name="briefly" />

==Filmography== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year !! Film !! Role !! Genre !! Ref. |- | 2005 || ''Scandal!'' || Vanashree Devan || TV series || |- | 2008 || ''Life Is Wild'' || Airline Sales Assistant || TV series || |- | 2008 || ''Mr. Bones 2: Back from the Past'' || Reshmi || Film || |- | 2012 || ''iNkaba'' || Prevashnee || TV series || |- | 2013 || ''Diana'' || Nasreen || Film || |- | 2015 || ''Isidingo'' || Detective Inspector Priyanka Naicker || TV series || |- | 2015 || ''Cape Town'' || Kumari Nayar || TV mini-series || |- | 2015 || ''Zero Tolerance'' || Rekha Patel || Film || |- | 2017 || ''The Dark Tower'' || Dr. Weizak || Film || |- | 2019 || ''3 Days to Go'' || Janet || Film || |- | 2020 || ''Legacy'' || Nirvana || TV series || |- |2021 |''Reyka'' | Sewsunker || TV series || |}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * {{IMDb name|nm1997115}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Reddy, Leeanda}} Category:Living people Category:South African television actresses Category:South African stage actresses Category:South African film actresses Category:Actresses from Durban Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:South African people of Indian descent Category:South African women comedians Category:South African stand-up comedians Category:South African people of Telugu descent