{{short description|American actress}} {{Use mdy dates|date=October 2024}} {{Infobox person | name = Melanie Chandra | image = Melanie Kannokada by Corey Hayes.jpg | caption = Melanie Chandra | birth_name = Melanie Kannokada | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1986| 02|28}}<ref>{{cite magazine |title=6 Indian American Women Who Are Charting Their Own Creative Paths |url=https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/features/a40207988/six-indian-american-women-who-are-charting-their-own-creative-path |magazine=Harper's Bazaar |date=June 8, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Today in History: Today is Monday, Feb. 28, the 59th day of 2022 |url=https://wausaupilotandreview.com/2022/02/28/today-in-history-today-is-monday-feb-28-the-59th-day-of-2022/ |work=[Wausau Pilot & Review] |date=February 28, 2022}}</ref> | birth_place = Park Ridge, Illinois, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | othername = | occupation = Model, actress | height = | years_active = 2008–present | spouse = {{marriage|Neeraj Chandra|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.<ref name="k.pradeep">{{cite news |url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/the-malayali-quotient-in-hollywood/article2872388.ece |title=The Malayali quotient in Hollywood |author=K. Pradeep |newspaper=The Hindu |accessdate=June 22, 2015 |date=February 8, 2012}}</ref>
After high school, Chandra earned a Mechanical Engineering degree from Stanford University.<ref name="indiatimes.com">{{cite web |date=May 19, 2013 |title=Melanie Kannokada: Stanford grad & Hollywood actor working for upliftment of poor in Jharkhand |url=http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2013-05-19/news/39369937_1_miss-india-america-melanie-kannokada-amit-garg |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130608025306/http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2013-05-19/news/39369937_1_miss-india-america-melanie-kannokada-amit-garg |archive-date=June 8, 2013 |accessdate=June 22, 2015 |work=The Economic Times}}</ref> 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".<ref name="k.pradeep"/>
== Career == After finishing college, Chandra entered and won the 2007 Miss India America contest.<ref name="k.pradeep"/> 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.<ref name="buzzinesports.com">{{cite web |last=Rohit |first=Parimal M. |date=March 29, 2011 |title=Lifestyle interview: Melanie Kannokada |url=http://buzzinesports.com/interviews/lifestyle-interview-melanie-kannokada-david-spade-rules-of-engagement-03292011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131226025451/http://buzzinesports.com/interviews/lifestyle-interview-melanie-kannokada-david-spade-rules-of-engagement-03292011 |archivedate=December 26, 2013 |accessdate=December 25, 2013 |website=Buzzine}}</ref> In fall 2011, she was selected as one of the five faces of Bare Escentuals international "Be A Force of Beauty" campaign.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bare Escentuals 'Force of Beauty' Campaign features a South Asian Face |url=http://www.anokhimagazine.com/anokhi-blog/bare-escentuals-force-beauty-campaign-features-south-asian-face |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120107160547/http://www.anokhimagazine.com/anokhi-blog/bare-escentuals-force-beauty-campaign-features-south-asian-face |archive-date=2012-01-07 |accessdate=June 22, 2015 |work=Anokhi Magazine}}</ref> In fall 2012, she was selected to model in a five-page editorial spread for Vogue India Magazine.<ref>{{cite web |title=Vogue India November 2012: Melanie Kannokada |url=http://www.scarletbindi.com/2012/11/vogue-india-november-2012-melanie.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150622200350/http://www.scarletbindi.com/2012/11/vogue-india-november-2012-melanie.html |archive-date=2015-06-22 |accessdate=June 22, 2015 |work=Scarlet Bindi}}</ref>
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.<ref name="buzzinesports.com" /> 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.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Porter |first=Rick |date=March 8, 2019 |title='Insecure' Producer Signs Overall Deal at HBO (Exclusive) |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/insecure-producer-amy-aniobi-signs-deal-at-hbo-1193232 |website=The Hollywood Reporter}}</ref> In 2019, Chandra stars in Surina & Mel, a show about two American-born South Asian women living in New York City figuring out adulthood.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-08-25 |title=Comedy Central Filming 'Surina and Mel Light it Up' in Chicago |url=https://screenmag.com/surina-and-mel-light-it-up-filming-now-in-chicago-comedy-central/ |access-date=2026-01-13 |website=Screen Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Malkin |first=Marc |date=October 7, 2020 |title='Schitt's Creek' Actor Sarah Levy Cast in COVID-Inspired Indie 'Distancing Socially' (EXCLUSIVE) |url=https://variety.com/2020/film/news/schitts-creek-sarah-levy-distancing-socially-1234796488/ |access-date=November 23, 2023 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref>
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.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Billington |first=Alex |date=2022-08-03 |title=Ian Niles Gets into Money Trouble in Crime Comedy 'Lie Hard' Trailer |url=https://www.firstshowing.net/2022/ian-niles-gets-into-money-trouble-in-crime-comedy-lie-hard-trailer/ |access-date=2026-01-13 |website=FirstShowing |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Personal == Chandra is also a co-founder of Hospital for Hope, a non-profit providing healthcare services in rural India.<ref name="indiatimes.com"/> She is also a trained pianist.<ref>{{Cite web |title=About |url=http://www.melaniekchandra.com/bio-encore |access-date=November 22, 2021 |website=Melanie Chandra |language=en-US}}</ref> Chandra is a 2nd degree black belt in Shotokan Karate<ref name="buzzinesports.com" /> 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.<ref name="k.pradeep" />
== Filmography ==
=== Television === {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Network ! Notes |- | rowspan="2" | 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 |- | rowspan="2" | 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 === {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- | 2010 |''Bicycle Bride'' |Beena | |- | 2012 || ''Love Lies and Seeta'' || Seeta McKinsey || Leading Actress @ Indiefest 2012 <br /> Nominated – Best Actress @ World Music and Independent Film Festival |- | 2013 || ''D for Dopidi'' || Shalini || Debut Indian Telugu Film<ref>{{Cite web |title=Melanie Interview about D for Dopidi |url=https://www.idlebrain.com/celeb/interview/melaniekannokada.html |access-date=2026-01-13 |website=Idlebrain}}</ref> |- | 2015 || ''For Here or to Go?''|| Shveta ||Indo-American film<ref name="sparks">{{cite news |date=May 15, 2015 |title='For Here or To Go?' Sparks U.S. Immigration Policy Dialogue |url=http://www.indiawest.com/entertainment/global/for-here-or-to-go-sparks-u-s-immigration-policy/article_b17fceba-fb22-11e4-a98b-a74cfc6e4e8f.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160813041814/http://www.indiawest.com/entertainment/global/for-here-or-to-go-sparks-u-s-immigration-policy/article_b17fceba-fb22-11e4-a98b-a74cfc6e4e8f.html |archive-date=August 13, 2016 |accessdate=May 16, 2020 |work=India West |publisher=}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title='For Here or To Go' Puts a Funny Face on Immigration Woes |url=http://www.indiawest.com/news/12227--for-here-or-to-go-puts-a-funny-face-on-immigration-woes.html |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130724004806/http://www.indiawest.com/news/12227--for-here-or-to-go-puts-a-funny-face-on-immigration-woes.html |archivedate=July 24, 2013 |accessdate=July 29, 2013 |website=IndiaWest |publisher=}}</ref> |- | 2020 |''Draupadi Unleashed'' | Sita |Limited release<ref>{{cite web |date=March 20, 2020 |title=Draupadi Unleashed |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/draupadi_unleashed |accessdate=May 16, 2020 |website=Rotten Tomatoes}}</ref> |- | rowspan="3" |2021 |''Distancing Socially'' | Ella | |- |''Clifford the Big Red Dog'' |Susan |<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kojder |first=Robert |date=2021-12-10 |title=Movie Review – Clifford the Big Red Dog (2021) |url=https://www.flickeringmyth.com/movie-review-clifford-the-big-red-dog-2021/ |access-date=2026-01-13 |website=Flickering Myth |language=en-US}}</ref> |- |''Hot Mess Holiday'' | Mel |TV movie<ref>{{cite web |last1=Cordero |first1=Rosy |title='Hot Mess Holiday': Melanie Chandra and Surina Jindal Expand On Diwali Celebration Beyond 'The Office' |url=https://deadline.com/2021/12/hot-mess-holiday-melanie-chandra-surina-jindal-diwali-the-office-1234888797/ |website=Deadline |access-date=December 12, 2021 |date=December 11, 2021}}</ref> |- |2022 |''Lie Hard'' |Katie Reynolds | |- |2023 |''Onyx the Fortuitous and the Talisman of Souls'' | Jesminder | |- |}
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * [http://www.melaniekchandra.com/ Official Website] * {{IMDb name|2692301}} * [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/nri/cinema/Melanie-balances-acting-social-work-with-elan/articleshow/15275304.cms Times of India article] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20130608025306/http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2013-05-19/news/39369937_1_miss-india-america-melanie-kannokada-amit-garg Economic Times article]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Chandra, Melanie}} Category:Living people Category:Actresses from Park Ridge, Illinois Category:21st-century American businesspeople Category:American film actresses Category:American actresses of Indian descent Category:American female karateka Category:American people of Malayali descent Category:Actresses in Telugu cinema Category:American expatriate actresses in India Category:Female models from Illinois Category:Stanford University alumni Category:21st-century American actresses Category:1986 births