Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, the Canadian actress who rose to fame with her role in the Netflix series 'Never Have I Ever', is set to make a return to the world of teen shows. But this time, she's stepping into a different role, one that will challenge her in new and exciting ways. In an exclusive interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Ramakrishnan teases her upcoming role in the second season of 'Elle', the Legally Blonde prequel. She plays the nemesis to Lexi Minetree's Elle Woods, a character described as 'possessing all our hero's ambition and none of her optimism'.
What makes this role particularly intriguing is Ramakrishnan's own perspective on it. She notes that her character, Sam, is 'not something I've done before'. This is a significant departure from her previous work, and it's a testament to her versatility as an actress. Sam is the founder, editor-in-chief, and lord baron of the school newspaper, the commissioner of the grammar police, and the enemy of joy. In other words, she's the ultimate perfectionist and control freak, a far cry from the characters Ramakrishnan has played in the past.
What drew Ramakrishnan to this role was the 'iconic' world of Legally Blonde and the legendary Reese Witherspoon. She's excited to be a part of a project that aims to improve representation onscreen, and she's particularly impressed with Witherspoon's work as a producer. Ramakrishnan also sees a similarity between Witherspoon and Mindy Kaling, the executive producer of 'Never Have I Ever'. Both women are 'hard-working women who want to tell good stories'.
The second season of 'Elle' is already filmed, and Ramakrishnan is eager to see how her character, Sam, will be received by audiences. She's confident that her performance will be a departure from her previous work, and she's excited to see how viewers will respond to her new and challenging role. In her own words, 'I like my character's dynamic in the gang because it's not something I've done before'.
This is a significant moment for Ramakrishnan, as it marks a new chapter in her career. She's stepping out of her comfort zone and embracing a role that will challenge her in new and exciting ways. As she prepares to film the second season of 'Elle', Ramakrishnan is eager to see how her character, Sam, will be received by audiences. She's confident that her performance will be a departure from her previous work, and she's excited to see how viewers will respond to her new and challenging role. This is a significant moment for Ramakrishnan, as it marks a new chapter in her career, and she's ready to take on the challenge.
